Feminine
by Damnthenamedoesntfit
Summary: "YOU'RE A GIRL?" Obito points a wobbly finger at her. He makes a variety of interesting sounds, his face turning pale from shock. "Yes," Kakashi drawls, a defensive edge hidden in with her usually mono-toned voice. "Do you have a problem with it?" Obito's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he finally faints.
1. Chapter 1

Hatake Kakashi had never in her life wanted to disappoint her father. She had already done that as a newborn…by being a girl. Despite her father's disappointment that he did not bear a son, he still showered her with love an affection - which was especially hard to do when her mother passed away. She could never repay him for how much he took care of her, so she took every opportunity to make him proud, to wash away the disappointment and grief.

It would have been so much easier if she was a boy. Kakashi didn't realise the danger of being a girl.

* * *

When she was four, a foreign shinobi had infiltrated the village in an attempt to assassinate the White Fang's child. Kakashi almost died, but her father had saved her just in time. She had gained a fear of being suffocated. After that, he had been so paranoid that someone would take her away, and considering her gender - it would be easy to do.

* * *

Since expressing her interest in the shinobi arts, her father was adamant that she did not pursue seduction…or anything that had to do with being a kunoichi ( _Because this is his baby girl dammit. He was protecting her from the darker consequences of being female_ ). Instead, he acted upon a law passed by the Nidaime in his reign, ever since an heiress was assaulted.

 _Any female heir to a clan has the option of being viewed as a male for her protection against non-allied shinobi. The duration of this act can be determined by the clan head to ensure that the heir remains pure until marriage._

Her father had acted upon this law, and asked a relatively young seal master for his help. Her father wanted to ensure that nobody had any way to find out, accidental or not. Minato, the seal master that assisted her father, placed a seal induced henge. It was a permanent henge that didn't require any of her chakra, and could only be released by the seal master that placed it on her. The seal itself was tattooed on the nape of her neck ( _much to Sakumo's chagrin because his baby girl isn't_ _ **supposed**_ _to get tattoos_ ).

Kakashi now looked like a mini-Sakumo, but her father - the paranoid bastard - gave her a mask to wear 'just in case'. She still pursued her goal of making her father proud, training her little butt off to graduate from the academy at five and chunin at six. Minato was her sensei.

* * *

She came home from the chunin exams to a dark house, and graffiti on the walls of the Hatake compound. She found her father sleeping on the couch, his bloody tanto discarded on the coffee table, his mission clothes still covered in dry blood. Empty sake bottles littered the floor.

Kakashi already knew what he had done, and she doesn't really care. Because he is still her father, and she loves him no matter what. She picked up the empty sake bottles and threw them in the trash. She took her father's tanto from the table, cleaned it with a rag, and placed it on the display rack. Taking off her weapon pouch and kunai holster, she joined her father on the couch, burrowing herself under his arm and falling asleep.

She never saw her father's eyes open, a sad smile on his face as he tucked her closer to his chest.

* * *

Kakashi began to get ridiculed on the streets, but she stood strong in front of their glares and their whispers. She doesn't gave a damn what they say about her, but she _does_ care about what they say about her father. Nobody besides Minato saw her clench her fists, but only the Sandaime saw the growing resentment for the village darkening her onyx eyes.

* * *

One day, a gossiping housewife took it too far. She gathered her three sons who were new genin and confronted Kakashi in the streets. Her intended goal was to publicly humiliate the younger Hatake, and maybe push her around a bit.

After all, it was her father's fault that her husband was dead.

It started out well enough for the civilian. A crowd had gathered around when she began to insult the chunin, her genin sons jeering on the side lines. Only the shinobi watching saw her eyes briefly flash red, her nails digging into her palms so hard that bloody crescents cut into her skin.

When a comment about her mother being a whore and Sakumo being a traitor exited the civilian's mouth, the genin made their move for a public beating. Kakashi finally snapped, three months of barely repressed hatred erupting. The genin stood no chance, and the civilians watched in horror as a child half the age of a genin brutally destroyed three of them. The shinobi did nothing.

Kakashi looked at the civilian who dared to besmirch her family and glared, red springing to life in her eyes. The terrified housewife fell on her rump as Kakashi menacingly approached with a one tomoe sharingan that definitely should not have.

A large hand gripped her shoulder, and she glared at the owner of said hand. Her eyes softened as the tired eyes of her father met her sharingan. "That's enough Kakashi," He said. He gave the three beat up genin as unreadable look as he scooped up Kakashi in his arms and disappeared.

* * *

The Sandaime Hokage was met with a furious civilian council and an outraged Uchiha clan.

"Why is that Hatake brat not punished?!"

And most importantly-

"How does the Hatake have the sharingan?!"

With a flare of killing intent, he silenced them all. He gave a hard stare at the civilian council, disgusted. "Hatake Kakashi will receive no punishment. It is the civilian that provoked him and three genin that attacked first. It is a law that a shinobi has every right to finish a fight with a civilian or a fellow shinobi. Frankly, I'm disgusted that you would ridicule two of Konoha's finest warriors."

"Both Hatakes should _die_!" A civilian snarled. "Sakumo is the one that brought us into the war in the first place! His son will be no better."

The Sandaime slammed his hands onto the table and stood with a terrifying glare on his face. "I'm starting to wonder why I even gave the civilian council a say in shinobi matters. You are just _civilians_ , you do not understand the shinobi way," He spat. The Uchihas watched silently at the God of Shinobi took over the normally lenient man. They also agreed that civilians shouldn't meddle with shinobi affairs.

"We keep preaching about _teamwork_ and _never leaving our comrades behind_ , yet you scorn the person that has followed our teachings to the letter. You do not understand that war was going to erupt even if Sakumo didn't fail his mission. _He is not the one to blame_." He hissed, his rage felt by everyone.

"It's even worse that you alienate his son, who has done nothing wrong. None of you even saw that the Hatakes are starting to _resent_ our village. They are a strong clan, and if they turn on us, Sakumo _alone_ can wipe out _hundreds_ of our shinobi, _especially_ since we lowered the standards to allow civilian born students a chance."

The civilians sat in silent horror.

"Hokage-sama," An Uchiha started slowly, wary of the Sandaime's wraith. "You did not answer _our_ question. Why does the Hatake have the sharingan?"

"You do not know?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "Hatake Sakumo's spouse was an Uchiha descendant."

Chaos erupted in the council room.

* * *

"You didn't have to do that you know," Sakumo stated softly, wrapping up a shallow gash on her forearm, the only wound that she had received from her fight.

Kakashi's lip trembled, her deactivated eyes tearing up slightly. "But they said that-"

"Shhh." Sakumo pressed a finger to her lips and brought her into a hug.

"I just got so _angry_ ," She whispered, her voice muffled as her face was pressed into her father's flak jacket. "They said things about Kaa-chan too…"

Sakumo sighed as he stroked Kakashi's hair.

 _Despite its cheery appearance, Konoha could be a very cruel place._

* * *

The Uchiha decide to keep the sharingan thing quiet, but since they found out, they were a tad bit nicer than they used to be. The civilians don't say anything to her anymore. They hush up when she comes in vicinity and stare at her in fear. Kakashi doesn't care.

The shinobi population have started to warm up to her father again. He starts to regain his respect among the shinobi, as he hasn't had a failed mission since. They respect Kakashi as well, but they do not trust her as easily as they do with her honest and friendly father. She is aloof and cold to everyone but her father and her sensei. They are wary because she could injure a comrade without hesitance.

The three genin in the hospital could attest to that.

* * *

Hatake Sakumo dies in hospital when she is eight.

He had been on a mission with his teammates when they were ambushed by hundreds of Iwa jonin. He refused to fail the mission, and refused to let his teammates die. He made them complete the mission while he held off the enemy. His teammates came back for him, and they found that he had massacred every single jonin. Sakumo sustained critical injuries in return. They had carried him back to Konoha, where the medics tried to save him.

Kakashi, Minato, the Sandaime and his teammates stood at his bed side when he said his last words.

"Thank you for standing by me Souske, Daichi," He gave them a weak smile and he gently squeezed the little hands that were wrapped around his fingers. "Kakashi, remember what I told you?"

She nodded and she said the words with him. **"** ** _People who break the rules are scum, but people who abandon their friends are worse than scum_** **."**

The Hokage and Minato watched as a great and powerful shinobi with honourable ideals and morals laid on his deathbed. They watched as a good man's life came to an end.

Sakumo kissed Kakashi's forehead for the last time. " _I love you baby girl_."

His body could no longer cope with it's injuries. As his lungs stopped taking in oxygen, Sakumo's eyes closed and his hand became limp. His teammates openly cried for him while Kakashi buried her sniffles in his shoulder.

" _I love you too Daddy_."

Sakumo smiled, just as the heart monitor flat lined. No one notices that Kakashi's sharingan changes.

* * *

Hatake Sakumo's funeral is large. Thousands of people came to pay their respects to the person they once ridiculed, even the woman and her sons that had attempted to humiliate her several years ago. Kakashi is at the front of the crowd, placing the first flowers upon his grave. His grave was next to his wife's, his grave marker had his nindo engraved on it.

 _Here lies a loving father, a powerful shinobi and an honourable man. Rest in peace Hatake Sakumo._

 _'People who break the rules are scum, but people who abandon their friends are worse than scum.'_

Minato and her father's teammates stand with her. The Hokage makes a speech about his achievements, and told them how much he cared for his comrades.

As her father's name is carved into the memorial stone, Kakashi finally bursts into tears. She clutches at Minato who hugs her, while her father's teammates begin to tear up.

It's the first time anyone had seen her cry.

It's fitting when it started to rain.

* * *

Kakashi moved in with Minato and his girlfriend Kushina. She takes her belongings - along with her father's - with her. She's given a room and they try to make it as comfortable as possible for the grieving girl. It takes time, but soon enough, their bright attitude and soothing presence start to make her open up.

Kakashi starts to smile again.

* * *

She is nine when Minato gets another two people on their team. Kakashi is a little jealous that she has to share Minato's attention.

Kakashi is confused why the girl, Rin, keeps fluttering her eyelashes at her with a red face. Does she have a fever?

Her heart feels weird when she looks at Obito. She began to get nervous when he got too close to her. Kakashi is more than grateful that she wears her mask, her heated cheeks hidden behind the fabric. Maybe she caught the sickness from Rin? She asked Minato about it when they got home. He just laughed with a knowing look in his eyes.

Something knots itself in her stomach when she sees Obito trail after Rin. So Kakashi starts to tease Obito to get his attention. Her heart skips a beat when he turns to her with an embarrassed look on his face and an indignant retort spilling from his mouth.

She doesn't know why.

* * *

 **And the plot bunnies strike again. Tell me what you think in a review ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

Obito wonders if he is gay. He desperately hopes he's not, but his recent actions beg to differ.

Twice, he had caught himself staring at masked face _and the rump_ of his teammate. A teammate that wasn't _Rin_. A teammate that was _male_. Who knows how many times he was actually staring. He's lucky that Kakashi hasn't caught him staring yet, but _Minato-sensei_ certainly has. His sensei doesn't say anything, but he _knows_ that he is judging him. He had the audacity to smirk with a look in his eyes.

Obito keeps trying to tell himself that it was just curiosity that drove him to do what he did ( _admire Kakashi's rather round ass_ ) and take very long looks that _totally wasn't staring_. Not at all. Because Obito was _supposed_ to be fawning over Rin - who was fawning over Kakashi - who was secretly fawning over Obito (not that he knew).

Minato wonders why he is the one that has the team that has a love triangle.

* * *

Team 7 takes the chunin exams. Kakashi takes it a second time for the sake of her teammates. Numerous times she is accosted by a green monstrosity that she constantly brushes off. Unknown to her, Kakashi is only fuelling the 'flames of youth' with her 'cool and hip' attitude. A one sided rivalry is born with a boy whom she only vaguely remembers from her childhood.

He accidentally gropes her in their taijutsu match ( _Its not like Obito is jealous. At all_ ). Kakashi lets out a rather girly squeak when his hand lands on her rear. Gai gives an innocent squeeze and he beams with pearly white teeth. "Yosh! My eternal rival has _buns of steel_! If I cannot obtain the steel texture of Kakashi's buns, I shall walk on my hands a _hundred_ times around the village!"

Rin and Obito gape at Gai's luck while Minato snickers at Kakashi's expense.

"Better make it a thousand," a murderous Kakashi growls. She then proceeds to beat the shit out of him.

She passes again, but her teammates do not. Kakashi didn't even need to use her sharingan. She is not allowed to take the exams anymore.

Kakashi pretends she doesn't see Gai doing squats around the village in attempt to manifest an iron hard gluteus maximus.

* * *

A high-pitched scream wakes Minato up. He leaps up from where he was napping on the couch with a kunai in his hand. He barges into Kakashi's room where she sits on the bed with a horror stricken expression on her normally masked face.

"Minato-sensei, I'm bleeding!"

"Are you hurt? Where?!" He demands. Minato pales when she points in between her legs, because ' _Oh my god WTF is going on'_ and _he has no idea what is happening._ Minato he starts to panic.

Kushina comes back from her mission only to find both Kakashi and Minato frozen in terror. Minato was literally frothing at the mouth in his fetal position on the floor, while Kakashi is staring dumbly at the blood. Kushina immediately understands and calms both of them down by saying, " _No, she is not dying. It's called puberty_."

She guides a shaking Kakashi out of the room while she tells Minato to clean up the blood. Kushina then proceeds to tell a horrified Kakashi about the birds and the bees.

Kakashi is scarred for life. She now understands the weird feelings in her tummy when Obito is brought up. Something called a smash ( _"Don't you mean_ _ **crush**_ _?"_ ). Kakashi has taken to avoiding eye contact with him at all costs.

* * *

It was during their lunch break that Rin finally asks what was bothering her.

"Kakashi-kun, what's the seal on your neck for?"

Minato spits out his drink. He whips his head around and spots Rin peering at the back of Kakashi's neck. Quickly slapping her hand over the seal, Kakashi backs away from her teammate…only to bump into her _other_ teammate.

"What seal?" Obito asks curiously.

"There is _no seal_!" Kakashi snaps, scrambling to get away.

"Aw, come on Bakashi! There's no need to be shy!" Obito teases. He tried to make a grab for the smaller girl.

Kakashi flushes, hands clamped firmly on the nape of her neck. She ducks under Obito's outstretched hands and jumps when he tried to tackle her midsection. She then leaps into the tree that Minato is sitting stupefied in, and hides among the leaves. "Sensei, help!"

Her sensei finally snaps out of his thoughts of ' _How did Rin see the seal?'_ And _'What the hell am I going to say?'_ He decides that _YOLO_ and made up a lie on the spot. "It's…um…a weight seal."

There is a pause. "On his _neck_?"

Minato hastily nods. "Err…yeah. Um, he has others on his arms and legs."

Obito eyes Kakashi. "Why does he need one on his neck? Does he head butt people or something?"

Kakashi shoots Minato a warning glare, but before she could salvage the situation and say that ' _No it's not a weight seal'_ and make up some bullshit lie along the way, her stupid dim-witted sensei has already nodded brightly.

Rin doesn't look convinced, but Obito seems sold. He demands that he wants a weight seal on his neck too so that he could _'Awesomely head butt people as well_ '. Minato pats himself on the back, thinking that the crisis has been safely diverted, but then realises that he has to put _real_ weight seals on both Kakashi _and_ Obito to keep up with the lie. He shrugs because it's killing two birds with one stone. It's both training and a legitimate reason for the inky seals decorated on Kakashi's skin.

No one would question it.

He was a _genius_.

Kakashi glares at Minato as he paints on the new seals.

 _'_ _He could have thought of a better lie.'_

* * *

After both Obito and Rin are promoted, their first mission as a chunin squad goes horribly wrong. The client had lied about the skill level of the mission. The Iwa shinobi chasing after the scroll that they were tasked to receive managed to separate the squad. Minato and Rin are split from Kakashi and Obito. With the scroll clutched in Kakashi's grasp, she curses the fact that she didn't hand it to Minato-sensei sooner.

Grabbing a slowing Obito's wrist, she speeds up at a pace that he wouldn't have been able to keep up at. Zooming through the trees, she could feel the jonin gaining on them. Kakashi abruptly ducks, pulling Obito down with her as a hail of kunai obliterated the space where their heads used to be. Even with the fast pace that Kakashi sets, the jonin catch up anyway.

Despite Kakashi's efforts and Obito attempting to help, they are no match for jonin. Kakashi might be a prodigy, but she's only high chunin, and going up against experienced jonin did not have the odds in her favour. Even with her sharingan and her weight seals released.

One of the jonin managed to get her in a choke hold, and she freezes, old fears coming back from when she was almost assassinated. Kakashi desperately tugs at the fingers that are crushing her throat. She can feel her wind pipe close and she can feel him squeezing the life out of her. There was no Sakumo to save her.

Kakashi almost gives in, until the pained scream of Obito reaches her ears and she starts to panic again. Not for herself, but for Obito. Gritting her teeth, Kakashi releases the weight seal on her neck and smashes the back of her head into the jonin's face. She head butts him so hard she breaks his nose and knocks him into LaLa land.

The other jonin lets out a cry of frustration and attacks Kakashi. She is barely able to keep up, even though her eyes are activated. Several times she can't dodge in time, and her injuries begin to slow her down.

The jonin's eye flicker behind her, and her eyes widen in realisation. Then she _knows_ what he was going to do. Abandoning her attack, she hurls herself at Obito, shielding him from the worst of the blow. The jonin managed to rake his kunai across her back, severing her father's tanto holster and ripping into the flesh of her backside.

Kakashi managed to lash her foot backwards mid-air in a high kick that smashed into the jonin's jaw, stunning him and knocking out a few teeth.

Obito lands flat on his back with a thud, as Kakashi's hands slam into the ground beside his head, stopping her from landing on him. Only when the pain subsided slightly, did she notice that she didn't deactivate her sharingan. That, _and_ she was staring into another pair of red eyes.

A single tomoe rotated in Obito's scarlet orbs, shock displayed at her own pair, and that she would take the blow for him.

Obito doesn't realise he is crying until Kakashi speaks.

"Did you get dust in your eyes, cry-baby?" She jokes weakly.

He doesn't care about the tears streaming down his face, nor does he notice his newly improved eye sight. All he could see was his teammate's battered body covering him, and the red eyes of his clan in Kakashi's sockets. It burns into his memory.

Both of them don't have time to say any more, because the jonin has already recovered from a foot to the face, and _boy is he angry_.

"You little shits will pay for that," he growls, rubbing his jaw. His friend wakes up from his Kakashi-induced nap and joins him as they approach menacingly. Kakashi doesn't have the strength to move, and shuts her eyes as the jonin swings his kunai down.

Her eyes snap open when she hears a choked scream. She turns her head just in time to see Minato smash a powerful ball of chakra into the jonin, before disappearing in a yellow flash. The other jonin pales and makes a run for it, recognition in his terrified face. He doesn't get far (and by 'far', it means less than three steps) until her sensei smacks him into kingdom come.

With a sigh of relief, Kakashi allows her eyes to close.

She collapses on Obito.

* * *

Rin finally catches up to her sensei, only to come upon the scene where an injured Kakashi is draped over a panicking Obito. She hurries over, taking out her medical kit and removing what's left of Kakashi's tanto holster. Her hands hesitate when they grip the edge of Kakashi's shirt, but a pained groan from the chunin destroys any indecision.

"Obito, help me," she asks with a strained voice, trying to gently remove the shirt without aggravating the wound. He props up his teammate just enough to slip off the blood soaked shirt. They ignore the fact that Kakashi is now unmasked ( ** _Oh my god he's a hottie_** ), and the seal deceives them into seeing a male body. Rin swallows thickly as she sees the full extent of the injury on Kakashi's bare back.

"If the tanto wasn't there, it would have cut through his spine," She whispers in horror, eyes trained on the gorge in Kakashi's back. Rin rips out bandages and other equipment from her medical bag. "We have to clean it before it gets infected. It's going to be really painful, so I need you to hold him still Obito."

The Uchiha nods and holds Kakashi firmly. As Rin pressed a clean cloth against the laceration, Kakashi yelps and jerks away. "Hold him still!" Rin hisses. Obito's hold on the Hatake tightens as Kakashi whimpers and writhes in pain. A red tinge dusts his cheeks when Kakashi buries her face in Obito's shoulder and fists the back of his shirt.

Obito tries to calm Kakashi down by running a hand through the chunin's hair, unknowingly mimicking what Sakumo used to do. It works though, and Kakashi stills.

Minato returns from beating the Iwa jonin black and blue, but the rage still hasn't depleted yet. Instead, it intensifies when he sees how bad the condition Kakashi is in. Rin finishes applying the bandages while Obito holds Kakashi up.

"I've done all that I can, but we need to get back to Konoha to treat Kakashi-kun properly," She says while packing up. Minato nods, scooping up his student. He pauses, and takes out a bandana from his hip pouch, tying it around Kakashi's bare face because her shirt is unsalvageable.

"Kakashi is insecure about his facial features," Minato states, answering the unasked question. He picks up Kakashi's tanto and straps it to himself.

"Why? He's good looking." Obito slaps a hand over his mouth, mortified of what he just said. Instead of judging looks, Rin agrees with a dreamy look on her face and Minato just snorts.

"All Hatakes are born good looking. Always have, always will. You should have seen the fan base the Hatakes had when they were alive. I think they had almost double the Uchiha's, and that's _alot_."

* * *

After they drop Kakashi off at the hospital, Obito asks to talk with his sensei privately. Minato dismisses Rin before he takes them to Team 7's normal training grounds.

"So what do you want to ask?" Minato questions, leaning against the trunk of a tree.

"Is Kakashi an Uchiha?" Obito asks without missing a beat, asking the first question that was bothering him all day.

Minato thought about if he should answer the question, but then decided that Obito deserved to know. "He's a distant relative. How did you know?"

"I saw his sharingan-which reminds me, I think I activated mine as well," the Uchiha said, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "Anyways, I wanted to ask you something else."

"Oh?" Minato raised his eyebrow when Obito bowed on his knees.

"Please make me stronger!" He cried. "I was so useless during the ambush. Kakashi had to protect me all the time and I almost got him killed. I don't want to be weak anymore!"

The blonde jonin sees the steel resolve and iron will in Obito. Minato smiles.

"Get up soldier," Minato commands, watching Obito scramble to his feet. "Meet me here on your days off. If you want to be strong, you better prepare for hell."

* * *

Kakashi clutches her wrist in concentration as lightning flickers to life in her hand. She had been inspired by Minato when she saw him create his own jutsus. She remembers the ball of chakra that gathered in his hand.

 _Rasengan._

And the way he had dealt with those shinobi…

 _Hiraishin._

She understands that her sensei is powerful, but she had never witnessed the full extent of his strength.

And she had never seen him so _angry._

As she amps up the chakra in her hand, the lightning in her palm explodes with energy. It's deafeningly loud, the glove of lightning crackles with the sound of a thousand birds. Kakashi keeps increasing her flow of chakra until it glows blindingly.

Suddenly, the lightning fizzles out of existence, and her hand is raw with chakra burns. Clenching her fists, Kakashi growls, tears of frustration gathering in the corners of her eyes.

 _Why couldn't she get this right?!_

Clutching her wrist again, she forces the chakra to appear in her hands, heedless of the burns marking her skin. Kakashi sucks in a sharp breath when her hand starts to throb with pain, and grits her teeth stubbornly as her vision starts to swim.

She _has_ to get it right.

She's not going to be helpless ever again.

* * *

 **What pairing would you like?**

 **Kakashi/Obito?**

 **Kakashi/Tenzo (Yamato)?**

 **Other?**

 **Do you want Obito or Rin to die?**

 **Leave your answer in a review. First twenty requests are accepted.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I realised that it was a little unfair for Tenzo in the pairings because I haven't even shown him in the story yet. I'm going to leave the votes about the pairings for later until I can get more Tenzo in it. Maybe you can vote for a love triangle ;) BTW Kinoe is Tenzo's code name in ROOT.**

* * *

Young Kinoe was given the mission to observe the last Hatake.

He is has no other information besides that Danzo-sama is interested in his abilities, and Kinoe thinks that it is quite strange. Yes, it is true that Danzo-sama has done this more than a few times to recruit members to join ROOT, but never has his interest ever lasted so long. He would usually observe possible candidates for a few months, but Danzo-sama had expressed his desire to bring Hatake Kakashi into the foundation since Hatake Sakumo died. It has been three years, but Danzo-sama's fascination with the chunin still has not waned.

At first, Kinoe did not understand what was so special about the last Hatake. He was just another prodigy, and Konoha had the habit of pumping out a few in every generation – and then some. So what was so special about Hatake Kakashi? But as Kinoe continued to watch him, he realised that Kakashi wasn't just a genius. He was a genius even by prodigy standards. While he did make the wrong decisions every once in a while, he _never_ made the same mistake twice. Kakashi always trained to become stronger and improve himself despite that his current strength far surpassed anyone his age _and_ shinobi double his age.

Despite having no apparent reason than besides surpassing the legacy left by his father, the Hatake trained with a desperate vigour of the constant need to get stronger. Kinoe acknowledges that Kakashi is far stronger than him, and has an inkling of an idea of what Danzo-sama sees in the Hatake.

Something changes in Kinoe. He didn't know when he started noticing trivial things about his target that was irrelevant to the mission. Like the fact that Hatake Kakashi's eyes were so dark that you couldn't see his pupil without shining a light at it. Like the fact that Hatake Kakashi's favourite food is miso soup and eggplant. Like the fact that Hatake Kakashi almost seems female at certain times. Kinoe only realises that he has developed a case of hero worship (puppy love) until well after the first year of his mission. And why shouldn't he? Hatake Kakashi is strong, loyal, handsome and intelligent. Kinoe has always thought that Hatake Kakashi was one of the strongest people he knew bar the Hokage and perhaps Danzo-sama.

It was for that reason he nearly had a heart attack when he found out that his idol was in the hospital. What could have gone so horribly wrong on a C-rank mission? He follows Kakashi's unharmed teammates with curiosity and irritation. Why is that they were unscathed and Kakashi wasn't? He listens to the young Uchiha and bristles in rage. He listens as the useless boy vows to become stronger – to hurt Kakashi. Kinoe thinks that no matter what, the Uchiha – and the weak Nohara – will always be a menace to the Hatake's goals. Later on, when the rest of Team seven don't seem like a waste of space, Kinoe might rethink his current impression of the students of Namikaze Minato.

* * *

Obito doesn't react when uncle praises him for activating the sharingan. His past self would having been showering in the attention that he had always longed for, but he didn't want it to happen like this. Not when his teammate almost died. No eyeball upgrade is worth the death of a precious person.

He doesn't listen to the words that come out of his visitor's mouth – nodding at appropriate intervals – with his mind elsewhere. When Fugaku turns to leave, Mikoto ruffles his hair affectionately while carrying a baby Itachi. After both his Uncle and Aunt exit his house, he puts on his training gear and heads for the training grounds where his sensei is waiting.

Private training with Minato-sensei is brutal but efficient. Every time his body is thrown on the ground, he knows that he is making progress. He knows that he is getting stronger, and soon enough, he won't be the one being thrown around.

"Again!" Minato barks, as Obito struggles to his feet. He charges once more, red eyes gleaming with determination.

Soon enough, he'll be able to protect his teammates. He won't be helpless again.

Obito doesn't realise that he has already placed Kakashi as someone as precious – if not more – than Rin.

* * *

Kakashi is twelve when she is promoted to jonin.

She did not take an official exam, but was recommended by her sensei. Since they were in the middle of war, the Sandaime instead asked her to take a solo mission with Minato as a supervisor. If she handled the mission well, then she would be promoted. It was expected when she passed with flying colours. She would begin her official duties as a jonin in her next mission.

The day after, Team seven is sent on a mission to destroy Kanabi Bridge. Its starts out as normal as can be. Obito is late with the excuse of helping the elderly, while Kakashi teases him. She receives gifts while on their way to their destination. Minato hands her one of his Hiraishin kunai, Rin gives her a medical kit while Obito…

"You're _joking_ ," Kakashi gapes as he holds out a wakizashi.

Obito turns away with a blush on his cheeks. "Just take it. One of the elders I help used to be a black smith. He gave it to me because I carry his groceries a lot." Kakashi gently took it from the Uchiha, turning it over in her hands and admiring the quality of it. Obito rubbed the back of his head. "I noticed that you're ambidextrous, so I guess you could use something in your other hand."

She straps her father's tanto to her hip and places the wakizashi across her back.

"Thank you," Kakashi whispered softly, wearing a smile that could be seen through her mask.

* * *

They first encounter an enemy in the mushroom forests of Kusa.

Alerting the rest of the team, Kakashi crouches behind a fallen tree trunk, the others following suit. Minato presses a finger on the forest floor, sensing twenty of the same chakra signatures.

"There are around twenty of them, but I believe that they are clones. Kakashi, you're team leader today, what do you want to do?" He asked. Kakashi did the mental calculations in her head. Clones had only a fraction of the original's strength, and the Iwa-nin was a low level jonin. She came up with a plan that involved minimal injuries and time. It also proved an excellent opportunity to finally use her newly perfected jutsu.

"I'm going to take him out alone. Sensei, I want you to back me up."

"Are you sure?" The blonde asked, and Kakashi nodded. Minato sighed, and let her go. He knew she was strong, but he couldn't help but worry for her. Kakashi was very reckless when she wanted to be, so he readied himself, digging into his kunai pouch for his weapons. He watched her go through several hand signs and lightning sparked to life in her palm, the sound of a thousand birds chirping exploded in the air.

"Chidori!"

And she drove her hand forward, ripping apart the tree trunk and sending bark splinters flying. Zooming forwards while leaving a trail of destruction in her wake, she could sense kunai being hurled at her. Not at all worried, she noted the directions the kunai came from, shuriken spinning around her and knocking the kunai away. She trusted her sensei not to let her get hurt. From behind her, Minato threw a shuriken at one of the clones hiding in the trees.

 _'_ _Over there.'_ Kakashi tracked the shuriken to her first victim, plunging her hand into his chest. He popped into smoke and she narrowed her eyes. _'Next one then.'_

The Hatake became a zigzagging blur as she darted from clone to clone, kicking up a dust cloud as she went. On her eighteenth clone, she realised that this one was the original. As the Iwa-nin swung his sword, her eyes flickered crimson and she ducks under the blow, spearing her hand into his chest. It's messy and disgusting when her hand drives through his heart and blood sprays the air. The man coughs blood and the rest of his clones are popped.

As Kakashi rips her blood stained arm out of his flesh, the Iwa-nin collapses with a thud. The man's eyes widen when he takes a proper look at the younger jonin. "White Fang," he gargles, and then he dies.

"No," She says, standing over his body. "That's Dad."

* * *

They camped out on a boulder when night fell. Once Obito thinks that his Rin and Kakashi are asleep, he climbs onto the rock where Minato-sensei is keeping watch.

"Hey, sensei…"

Blue eyes turn to him. "What is it Obito?"

"Will I ever catch up to Kakashi?" He asks with doubt in his voice. He is half expecting his sensei to say no, or just not answer the question.

"Not everyone is a prodigy," Minato starts, and Obito's heart falls. Deep down inside, he knows that he won't ever catch up to the Hatake's level. "However, there are people who are late bloomers. You might not think it now, but I believe that you will catch up to Kakashi one day."

"You make it sound so long," Obito jokes, relief bringing back up his mood.

Minato chuckles and silences reigns among the two for a few moments. Minato speaks again.

"You shouldn't put Kakashi on an unreachable pedestal. He's human too, and he _will_ make mistakes. All I ask is that you support him when he does. Your teammates will help you when you need it too."

"Hai sensei."

Below the two, Kakashi closes her eyes.

* * *

Team seven separates from their sensei in a bamboo forest.

"Good luck and stay on guard." He disappears in a yellow flash.

The team is still for a moment.

"Let's go."

They rush away in the opposite direction of their sensei. Several times they come across traps which only proves that Kanabi Bridge is getting nearer. The further along they get the more complicated the traps became. They stop a few times to check the maps and rest. It all started going wrong when they were crossing the lake.

Kakashi pauses mid step, her nose picking up two enemy scents. Shifting into a defensive stance, her eyes darted around the bamboo trunks. She knows they are there, and it seems like they are tired of staying hidden. Thick lances of bamboo trunks rain down on them. Her eyes flicker to Obito and he nods. Flying through hand signs, he breathes out a fireball that incinerates the projectiles. The burnt trunks splash into the water of the lake. A dark haired man leaps out from his cover in the bushes, the retractable blades in his sleeves whipped out and swinging dangerously close to Kakashi's throat.

Reaching over her left shoulder with her right hand and directing her left hand to her right hip, she grabs the hilt of her tanto and new wakizashi and unsheathes both of them smoothly. Launching herself forwards, she engages the Iwa jonin in a clash of blades. They leap off the trunks of bamboo, smashing their blades together several times, the clangs of metal pierced the usually silent forest. Kakashi jerks away from her battle with the other jonin when she hears a familiar scream.

"Rin!"

Kakashi leaps down next to Obito, and they both watch helplessly as the two Iwa jonin disappear in smoke with their third teammate. Grabbing a frozen Obito's wrist she runs after the stolen medic.

"Come on!" The duo chase after them before the trail stops abruptly. "I can't smell them anymore, I need Pakkun." Biting her thumb, she slammed her hands on the ground, summoning her best tracker. Pulling out the medical kit that Rin gave her, she shoves it under Pakkun's nose. "Can you track this?"

The small dog sniffs it for a moment.

"Of course! Who do you think I am?" The pug yips before spinning on its heel and darting through the bamboo forest. They follow the ninken back to the mushroom forest, right in front of the small opening of the cave. Pakkun disappears in a puff of smoke, his job done. Kakashi can already smell the jonin with the camouflage jutsu out in the open and ready for them, but right now she's tired, angry and ready to kick his ass all the way to Kanabi Bridge.

* * *

The jonin was vastly unprepared when two pairs of sharingan eyes found him easily and quite literally smacked him into a tree. The last thing he saw were two demons in the form of children. The silver haired demon lunged forwards with its claws covered in lightning, ripping into his chest and destroying his heart.

Kakashi retracts her arm from the new hole in the dead jonin's body. Her sharingan meets Obito's and they nod at each other. The two Konoha shinobi silently entered the cave. Kakashi's rage increased when she spotted Rin tied up under a genjutsu. Her fury boiled when she sees blood dripping down the Nohara's forehead, sealing one of her eyes shut. The dark haired jonin that attacked them before turned around with a withering glare, muttering about how he had to do everything himself.

"He's trying to get information out of her," Obito murmurs to the silver haired-nin. "I think he hit her because she wasn't talking."

"We have to save her before he does anything worse," Kakashi replies, gripping the hilts of her swords. "Be careful, he's quick."

Obito hums in confirmation, sliding his legs apart and leaning forwards. The tag team launch themselves towards the Iwa jonin. The battle is a blur, and their teamwork is flawless. Their sharingans predicted each other's movements and they moved like a well-oiled machine. Their attacks wove together seamlessly. When Kakashi attacked high, Obito kicked low. When Kakashi pulled back, Obito pushed forwards.

The Uchiha leans backwards when the man swipes his blades at his shoulders. Kakashi leaps above them and prepares to strike downwards with her wakizashi, but leaves her sides open to attacks. Obito rectifies this problem by slamming his legs against the Jonin's arms that are coming from the sides, blocking him from allowing to attack and defend himself. Kakashi slices her sword deep into his shoulder, cutting through his clavicle. The Iwa shinobi falls face first onto the floor as the duo move away.

Kakashi rushes towards their immobile teammate and releases her from the genjutsu. Rin's one eye blinks and she exhales, "Kakashi? Obito?" She spots Kakashi's sharingan. "You have sharingan? But you're not-"

"I'll explain later! We still have a mission to complete," Kakashi said, pulling out a kunai.

"Don't worry, we got you. Let's get out of here!" Obito says breathing heavily, the fight having took a heavy toll on his energy. Rin smiles as Kakashi cuts her bindings and let her stand.

"That was a good combo," a raspy voice emits behind them. "But you're still kids. You _always_ make sure your opponents are dead before letting your guard down."

The dark haired jonin slammed his hand on the floor, blood flowing from his brutally injured shoulder.

 _'_ _Doton: Iwayadokuzushi!'_

Rocks started to fall around them and they wordlessly run for the exit. Kakashi and Obito dodge the falling boulders with ease, but Rin is still adjusting to her temporary blind side. As the cave continued to collapse, a large pocket of space holds firm and the team run for the safe spot. Kakashi and Obito remain unscathed, but Rin – whom was running just a bit behind them – does not. With one of her eyes unusable, she doesn't see the boulder coming from her left side. When the cave stops collapsing and the dust settles, Kakashi and Obito hears Rin crying.

"Rin?!"

Rin lies on her stomach, her foot crushed under a large boulder. Kakashi tries to push off the boulder, but the heavy rock doesn't budge. Obito cradles Rin as she cries from pain. Kakashi suddenly straightens, her ears perking up.

"Crap! We've got company!" Her eye brows scrunch up together and she tilts her head to the right. "Six? No, seven! We have to get out of here!"

"We can't leave Rin!" Obito argues.

"Are you stupid?! Of course not! I'll distract them, you try and get her free. I'm not sure how much time I can buy you, but you have to make it quick." She forms a Chidori and tunnelled her way upwards. The rocks covering the sunlight above them exploded, and the sky became visible…and so did the Iwa jonin. Obito hears sounds of fighting outside and hopes that Kakashi will stay alive until he could help.

He looks back at the boulder that crushed Rin's foot, and he knows that there is no way that he could move the boulder unless he had the strength of the Slug Sannin. He knows there is only one way to get Rin out of there to help Kakashi in time. "Rin, can you hear me?"

"H-hurts," She sobs.

He hushes her. "I know, it hurts but there's only one way that I can get you free. Are you good enough at healing to stop yourself from bleeding to death if I amputate your foot?"

She shakily nods, tears streaming down her face. Obito hears the fighting above them is getting more frantic, and he knows that Kakashi is getting desperate. He hurriedly pulls out two kunai. "Bite down on this," he says, placing the handle of the kunai in her mouth so she couldn't accidently bite off her tongue. Obito takes a deep breath. They had learnt about field amputation in the academy, but he had hoped that he would never use that knowledge. He deactivates his sharingan, because he doesn't want to remember this.

Obito could hear her screaming, and he flinches. When he's done, he throws the blood-stained kunai as far away from him as possible. He's not going to keep touching the weapon that severed his teammate's limb. Rin whimpers as her hands glow green and she heals her stump, stopping any more of her life blood from leaving her body. Obito helps her wrap an entire kit worth of bandages around the area where her ankle used to be. She also wipes the blood from her eye so she could see again.

"Come on," he says weakly, his face green with bile at the back of his throat. He had never seen so much blood. Pulling Rin onto his back, he leaps out of the cave towards the fighting.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think in a review. Feed back is appreciated ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

Kakashi had already killed the man that caused the cave in and two others along with him. She was now faced with in a rather dire situation.

Pinned down by a foot on her back with her arms trapped in earth and her swords out of reach, she grimaced, feeling the last of her chakra reserves slowly drain into the jonin's jutsu (She felt as tired as the time she tried to avoid Gai - who chased her around the village in an attempt to compare the texture of their behinds). The Iwa-nin standing above her was nursing a cracked rib and mild burns from a near run in with her Chidori.

"I admit you're pretty good," he said. "Its such a shame you wont live long enough to get any better. God only knows how many more children Konoha will pump into this war."

Kakashi is taken back. The man seemed to generally regret the fact that he is going to kill her.

Obito then chose that exact moment to leap out of the 'rabbit hole' with Rin on his back, and the man turns away from her. Suddenly, Kakashi can feel a pull on the seal on the nape of her neck, and all Kakashi can think is _Nonononono._

Everyone has their attention on Obito, so no one sees Kakashi's form flicker like static. Her figure stabilizes again, and she hopes that no one will notice.

"What do we have here?" One of the other Iwa jonin purred, circling the tired pair like a shark smelling blood. Kakashi takes this opportunity to discreetly coat her covered arms in lightning, making the earthen restraints crack. The man doesn't notice. When the Iwa-nin gets too close to her teammates, she rips her arms free, grabs the man's leg, and shocks him with as much chakra as she can spare. The jonin falls, and his squad takes notice.

"Run, Obito!" She yells, grabbing all her remaining kunai and hurling them at the jonin surrounding her team. The enemy leap out of the way and Obito hesitates.

"What about you?!"

"I'll catch up! You have Rin!"

Obito didn't need much convincing, and Kakashi isn't sure whether to feel satisfied or sad. A small selfish part of her wants Obito to argue a little longer, but the more rational part of her is relieved that he left. Her hand digs into her pouch, and her fingers wrap around Minato's Hiraishin kunai, which she pulls out and stares at doubtfully. While it was nice that her sensei gave her the weapon of his signature technique, it wasn't like _she_ would be able to use the seals required for Hiraishin. It was nothing more than an oddly shaped kunai at best.

Kakashi ducks, avoiding decapitation and other methods of homicide. Two of the Iwa-nin attack her simultaneously, and she is barely able to escape death multiple times, her sharingan spinning.

"Oh no you don't," The third Iwa jonin growls, his fingers weaving through signs. A barrage of earthen spears launch themselves towards Obito's fleeing form. Kakashi's heart stops and desperation makes her ignore her two enemies (in which she would later admit to be a rather stupid move on her part).

Time slows, and the last Hatake watches the spears fly at Obito, whose eyes widen at the incoming projectiles. His hands are all that are supporting an unconscious Rin, unable to cast jutsus and too slow to dodge. She feels as helpless as she was during that disastrous chunin mission that gave her the scar on her back.

Kakashi's eyes burn and the last of her chakra surges in her coils.

She won't let it happen.

She _can't_ let it happen.

Three tomoes morph into pinwheels of black and red. A five pointed shuriken remains.

 _Not again. Never again._

 ** _"KUNIUMI!"_**

Black.

* * *

Kinoe didn't think.

His fingers moved on their own, flashing through familiar signs and sending lances of wood spitting from the trees. With a spray of red, the two imminent threats to the Hatake's well being were successfully removed, so he lept down to gather the unconscious silver haired jonin in his arms. The ROOT agent paused to analyse the phenomenon before him.

Everything was at a standstill. Even the tree's leaves stopped swaying, and if he looked up, he could spot a bird frozen in flight, unable to flee the clutches of time. The Iwa jonin had stopped mid jutsu, face cemented into a snarl. The earthen spears were inches from piercing the useless Uchiha, whose face was suspended in panic and fear. Kinoe was tempted to just wait for the jutsu to run its course and let the Uchiha and Nohara get hit because, frankly, they deserved it.

Kakashi was hurt. Kakashi was wounded. Kakashi needed help. And it was **_all their fault_**.

But...Kakashi used up the last of his chakra and put himself in danger to save the teammates he didn't need. Kinoe sighed, and created an protective dome of wood around the pair and gently placed his idol against a tree. He picked up the Hiraishin kunai that Kakashi had dropped, and examined it.

 _The Yellow flash uses these kunai to teleport when it's thrown, so..._

He glanced at the knocked out jonin, then to the dome. Objects began to inch forwards again, and time resumed. The spears of earth slammed against the wooden shield as Kinoe tossed the Hiraishin kunai at the last Iwa jonin, and disappeared into the trees as a furious Yellow Flash arrived.

He smiles behind his mask when Kannabi Bridge fell the next day.

* * *

From a collapsed cave, a dark figure emerges from the shadows. It leans down and prods the dead body of a dead Iwa-nin.

"We missed them. Madara isn't going to be happy," a voice muttered. It reaches down and plucked up an empty medical kit covered in dried blood.

"What do we do now?" It asked.

"It's simple," another voice said. "We get another one. There are plenty of Uchiha running around." And with that, Zetsu sunk back into the earth.

* * *

"Kakashi."

She turns around at the sound of her sensei's voice. It's night, and they're camped out on the same boulder they did at the start of their mission. Obito and Rin are sleeping below them. Kakashi can't shake the guilt that follows every time she sees the Nohara's missing foot.

"I know sensei," she says, placing a hand on her nape. "What happened?"

He looks at her with sad eyes.

"Some seals don't last forever Kakashi. That seal has been active for the last eight years." He gently pries her hand off her neck, observing the black ink. His eyes also unknowingly trace the weight seals on her wrists and ankles. "I'll have to reapply the seal, but your father never specified the date that you could take it off. So it's up to you. Do you want to stop now?"

Her father had placed the seal on her to protect her, but she's strong now. Kakashi could protect herself. But she doesn't want to be the daughter of Hatake Sakumo, the child that almost got assassinated. She wants to be Hatake Kakashi, the son of the White Fang, the prodigy, the second in command of Team 7.

"I don't know."

"You don't have to decide just yet," Minato reassures her, pulling out his sealing kit he always brings along. "That seal has at least another two years before it breaks. I'll just have to give it a touch up, and you can tell me when you're ready."

She nods, pulling down the collar of her shirt, and the blonde gets to work.

When he's done, he grabs her bicep. Chakra wells up beneath his palm. As he lets go, he pulls her sleeve up, showing a script branded on the inside of her bicep.

"A Hiraishin mark never disappears. If you're ever in trouble, or if your seal starts acting up, activate it. I'll come to you."

"What about Obito and Rin?" Kakashi inquires, tracing the new mark on her body.

"I'll offer the same to them as well, but I don't think that they will accept. Rin will be taken off the roster for active duty and retire as a kunoichi. She'll probably work full time at the hospital, so she won't need one. Obito would likely refuse on the basis that the 'future Hokage' didn't need help."

"Ah."

Her sensei pats her on the shoulder, and guides her down the boulder next to her teammates.

"Get some rest," he tells her. "You did well today."

Neither noticed that Obito isn't sleeping.

* * *

Danzo stands on the intersecting bridge in ROOT headquarters. He watches, as his underground empire worked as efficiently as an ant colony. His ANBU moved with purpose, none of without a set of tasks to carry out. From the swarm of his 'worker ants' a young cat masked boy knelt before him.

"Report." There was no need for useless talk.

"Hatake Kakashi's mission to destroy Kanabi Bridge was a success. During a battle between Hatake and seven Iwa jonin, Kakashi's sharingan changed, and unleashed an unknown jutsu."

"Oh?" This interested the bandaged adviser. "Changed you say? What did it look like?"

"A five pointed shuriken," Kinoe answers dutifully.

Danzo's eye widened.

" _Mangekyou Sharingan_. To be awakened at such a young age," he whispered, subconsciously reaching up to touch his missing eye. "Tell me Kinoe, what was this jutsu?"

"The ability to manipulate time."

Silence.

Danzo stood rigidly.

"Kinoe, explain," he snapped.

"From what I observed, everyone in a certain range - except for the user - is effected. The jutsu can only be cast for a short period. The jutsu stops time. It is unknown how many times it can be used. It is unknown if there are other variations of time manipulation."

The elder man inhaled.

"It is decided," he said. "We cannot recruit him at the moment - young Kakashi is being watched with too many eyes - but in time, he must join the foundation. His ability will be of use in the future. Keep watching him Kinoe, an opportunity can come at any moment. I will leave it up to you to take the initiative if you see any chance he might be swayed. Am I understood?"

"Yes Danzo-sama."

 _You didn't even need to ask._

* * *

Obito sits on his bed and ponders.

 ** _"Some seals don't last forever Kakashi. That seal has been active for the last eight years."_**

What seal? What has been active for the last eight years?

 ** _"I'll have to reapply the seal, but your father never specified the date that you could take it off. So it's up to you. Do you want to stop now?"_**

And what about that strange jutsu that protected him? He had heard Kakashi shout out, and when he blinked, a wooden dome surrounded him. He later spotted the other shinobi the Hatake was fighting impaled on wooden spikes. Obito wasn't stupid, he knows exactly what was required to create weapons and shields like that.

 _Does he have Mokuton?_

...But Minato and Kakashi were just as confused as he was.

Something was up with the last Hatake. He obviously didn't know - whatever happened to him took place before he even met the guy, so nothing seemed out of place. Hell, he probably wouldn't have known if he didn't wake up because of the urge to pee. He held it down of course, just until Kakashi fell asleep, and made a show of 'groggily' waking up to leak something fierce.

Minato-sensei never suspected a thing.

Earlier that evening, his Aunt Mikoto had come to congratulate him for completing the mission that turned the war in Konoha's favor. She had said that his Uncle Fugaku couldn't come because he was in a clan meeting. She then proceeded to foist little Itachi and Shisui off to him because she had to go cook dinner and _could he please babysit them this evening?_

Itachi trots over to him, Shisui at his heels like a dog following a puppy.

"Obito-nii?"

"Yes?" He answers absentmindedly, questions and theories of his teammate clouding his head.

"Do you have a crush on Hatake Kakashi?"

"Yeah...wait, WHAT?" Obito did a double take.

"Shisui says that you're gay," Itachi said with wide innocent eyes. The aforementioned brat nodded sagely. Obito spluttered.

He spent the rest of the afternoon trying - and failing - to convince his cousins that he was not attracted to men.

 _Kakashi will tell me when he was ready._

* * *

The Sandaime Hokage sighed, leaning back in his seat, rubbing a wrinkled hand over his face. He placed his pen down, and pushed his paperwork over to one side of the desk.

"What news do you have for me Jiraiya?" He said, just as a white haired shinobi jumped through his window.

"What? No 'hello' sensei?" The toad Sannin asks playfully.

"I don't have time for this Jiraiya," he tells him with a hard stare. "I'm stressed, I'm tired, and I just want this war to end."

The spymaster raised his hands in defeat before becoming serious.

"Bad news sensei. You know the ambassador that we sent out two weeks ago? He and most of his escort have been found dead just inside the border," he informed grimly. "The bodies were at least a week old when I got there. A couple of the corpses were eaten by wild animals, so it was a bit hard to identify them at first."

"They were killed _inside_ of Hi no Kuni?" The Sandaime asked, and his student nodded.

"We thought that there was a traitor inside the group," Jiraiya went on. "Uchiha Yakumi went MIA and then returned a week before we sent him out with the ambassador. He was checked out at T&I, but they said he was clean. We also found his arm and leg at the site, though his other body parts might be scattered around the area. Only Kiri shinobi have killed so messily."

The old Hokage hummed in thought. "So Kiri broke past the border?"

The Toad Sage shook his head. "That's just the thing. The patrols haven't been attacked, hell, they weren't even the ones that found the bodies. Someone snuck past the border _just to kill the ambassador_. Kiri doesn't work that way. They go in loud and ruthless or they don't go at all, we would have known. Someone don't want us to play nice with Kiri, and they're doing a poor job of framing them."

The Sandaime just gave a frustrated sigh. "Look into it Jiraiya. We can't have potential traitors or weak borders. Inform the patrols to be more cautious, and tell your contacts to investigate any suspicious dealings with Kiri. I fear that our third party might strike again."

* * *

 **OMAKE:**

"Hetero."

He plucked a leaf from a fallen branch.

"Homo."

Another leaf.

"Bi."

Repeat.

Minato stared at Obito, who glumly picked the leaves from a small branch he ripped off a tree, mumbling to himself all the while.

"Obito," The jonin said slowly to his student. "What are you doing?"

"Deciding my sexuality," he replied gloomily.

Minato didn't know what to say to that.

* * *

 **OMAKE 2:**

Kinoe shut the door of his quarters in ROOT, before letting his stoic facade fall. He held his trembling hand up to his eye level. Two prominent thoughts ran through his mind.

 _I touched Kakashi-senpai...I **touched** KAKASHI-SENPAI~ _

and

 _I am never washing this hand again._

The rest of the ROOT agents would wonder where the inhuman squeal came from.

* * *

 **Tenzo gets more screen time :)**


	5. Chapter 5

It's been a week, and the fall of Kannabi Bridge is common knowledge.

Kakashi honestly doesn't know what to feel about that. The people of Konoha are buzzing and talking about the success of the mission, and a spark of hope has been lit.

The whispering was back as well.

"As expected of the Hatake!"

"The team of Minato-sama will become legendary!"

"That Kakashi boy will be a great man."

In a typical Kakashi fashion, she didn't bother to stick around and hear any more praises spout from their mouths like vomit. It was sickening. The words of awe and the rumours of wonder were sneers of disgust and venom not six years ago. Even then, their dislike for Kakashi never completely disappeared. Sakumo may have redeemed himself in his last mission, but Kakashi never did such a thing. True, she did not spark a war like her father, but she did not hold much love for her village, her apathetic attitude raising the hackles of more than one person. Now suddenly, the village that shunned her family and drove her father near the brink of insanity and grief was now hailing her as a hero.

It was like someone who stabbed you in the back expected you to accept their apology and forgive them.

What truly disturbed her was the fact that she did not hear anything about the rest of her team. Obito was mentioned in the passing as if he was just an afterthought, and the only times that Rin was brought up was to express words of pity.

She hated it.

* * *

Kakashi is thirteen.

It was just the three of them now.

Minato, Obito and her.

It had been a year since Kanabi Bridge. Rin was scurrying around the hospital with her new prosthetic, healing people left and right, worrying anxiously about her teammates that no longer had a medic on their missions.

Kakashi and Obito had become a duo to be feared among their enemies, the Uchiha-Hatake tag team having frequent appearances on the battlefield. Minato continued his Yellow Flash terror campaign against Iwa, transforming the turned tables of Kannabi Bridge into an unstoppable defeat. The war was calming down, becoming less intense, and becoming more obvious that Konoha was going to win.

It's probably what lulled her into a false sense of security, and a very large reason of why she was caught so off guard.

She was doing border patrol with Obito and a couple other chunin when the attack hit. She had every reason to suspect Iwa to attack the border, but Kiri? That came as a surprise. They even brought an entire platoon along.

Kakashi didn't see the ANBU that slammed into her side as she locked blades with the other Kiri shinobi. She skidded sideways, the ANBU pursuing her relentlessly. Obito was on the far side of the clearing, he couldn't help her, as he had his own batch of Kiri ANBU to deal with. The other chunin on the patrol didn't last long, being over whelmed.

 _But they're not dead…_

Kakashi narrowed her eyes at her downed comrades, their chakra still stable and keeping them alive. Obito was having the same treatment, the Kiri ANBU only playing with him roughly to knock him out.

 _No major injuries, only minor._

And then there was the way that they treated her. They didn't dare to put anything more than a scratch on her, even though they could.

 _They're here for_ _ **me**_ _._

It was a planned attack, and it was pretty obvious that it was meant for her. The horde of ANBU that swarmed the clearing in the direction of the Hatake was apparent. Jonin or no jonin, Kakashi would not be able to take them all out and keep the rest of the patrol and Obito safe. She could resist with all her might and cause her teammates to ultimately die if the Kiri ANBU were desperate enough to use them in a hostage situation.

Kakashi wouldn't even be able to use that strange jutsu during the mission of Kannabi Bridge without draining all her chakra. Then there was the very big problem where she couldn't be able to eliminate all the shinobi in time for her jutsu to run its course.

She didn't know what they wanted her for, but she would be damned if she let Obito die.

So Kakashi let the ANBU knock her out. Her last thoughts before everything went dark was that she hoped Obito and the rest of her patrol would be left alone.

* * *

When she came to, there are clamps holding her limbs down, runes of black criss-crossing over the chains that held her captive, sealing her chakra away. The Kiri ANBU stood as if in a daze, his comrades carrying a large sealed pot that pulsed with foul chakra. The men set the pot down among the inked floor, cautiously undoing the scripts that wrap around lid.

The chakra bursts forth, red spilling over the rim of the pot, and all Kakashi could feel was power, hatred, evil and…longing?

It thrashes around, rocking the pot, but one of the ANBU twists his fingers into the _Hitsuji_ sign. The symbols inked on the floor light up, winding around her body, and taking the red chakra with it. It seeps into her skin and everything starts to _burn_. It felt as if she was being skinned alive. She doesn't know when she started screaming.

 ** _IthurtsithurtsPLEASESTOP-_**

The red chakra burned like lava, as it forced its way into her coils and into the seal. She could hear a monstrous howl of rage and desperation and pain echoing in her ears. And she just wanted everything to end.

 _…_ _ **H**_ _e_ _ **L**_ _p_ _m_ _ **E**_ _,_ _ **D**_ _A_ _ **d**_ _…_

She is not the only one that cries for a father that will never come.

* * *

Kinoe wants to punch someone.

With the war wrapping up, Danzo-sama puts his mission of observing (stalking) Kakashi on the backburner. The council man wants the war to end swiftly and in Konoha's favour, and sends Kinoe off on assassinations and what not.

Except, when he comes to the border patrol that Kakashi is supposed to be assigned to, he finds that his target is missing and the rest of his squad is knocked out. There are Kiri ANBU that also litter the ground, but that becomes low priority in his mind. He sees Uchiha Obito and Kinoe's blood _boils_. The dark haired boy stirs and Kinoe stalks over to the Uchiha like a tiger about to pounce on its prey.

 _One mission,_ _ **ONE MISSION**_ _and that Uchiha bastard messes everything up!_

The ROOT agent yanks the chunin up by the collar of his shirt and hisses, _"Where is he?"_

"Wha-?" The Uchiha splutters, eyes still groggy and blood running from a split lip.

 _"_ _WHERE IS HE?!"_ Kinoe snarls, shaking the goggle wearing boy. "Where is Kakashi?!"

The damned Uchiha still looks stupefied, and Kinoe wants to throttle him. He drops the useless boy, breathing in deeply to calm himself, and focuses, trying to find a solution to how he could rescue the last Hatake. Obito's eyes widen as he looks around and sees the carnage wrecked in the clearing, and his slow brain pieces everything together.

"Kakashi!" He leaps upright and jabs a finger in Kinoe's direction. "Who are you?! What have you done with Kakashi?!"

Kinoe sneers at him from behind his mask.

" _I'm_ here to rescue Senpai. _You're_ here to wake up your patrol and sit there for backup. Who I am is none of your business," the Wood user spits and leaps into the trees. His nose might not be as strong as Kakashi's or an Inuzuka, but his eyes are sharp enough to pick up the faint blood trail that dots the branches of the sparse trees. He didn't even stop to think that the trail left behind was far too easy to find, the thoughts of his idol clouding his mind.

He very nearly stabs the Uchiha when he joins him in following the trail.

"I'm coming too!"

He's obnoxiously loud, wears bright orange (at least he's not completely orange, _thank the lord_ ), and is about as subtle as a rampaging Kyuubi vowing to stomp Uchiha Madara flat and spit on whatever is left of the remains.

Kinoe grits his teeth.

 _What in the heavens does Kakashi see in this fool?_

The ROOT agent nearly rejects his assistance on the basis that the idiot was the one that failed to keep his own teammate safe, but then realises that he needs all the help that he can get. It would be too tiring to argue.

Somewhere along the way of tracking Kakashi and formulating plans to rescue the jonin, they start arguing anyway. It's no surprise when Kinoe's patience snaps and he tries to strangle the Uchiha in less than five minutes within leaving the clearing.

* * *

It doesn't hurt anymore.

When she opens her eyes, she's no longer in that cave that the Kiri ANBU took her too. She's standing on the bank of a lake, surrounded by dense fog and mist. She hears a loud roar, rattling chains and splashes of water as she peers into the thick fog that drifts in her mindscape. Kakashi finally sees what she has always suspected.

The Sanbi thrashes underneath heavy rusted chains inked with seals that are rooted into the bed of the lake. It somewhat resembles a fishing net draped over a panicking fish. However, if Kakashi watched closely, she could make out the sealing marks loosening around the bijuu ever so slowly like…

 _…_ _like a timer_.

She was a bloody Trojan horse – a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

Another roar sent shockwaves through the lake, as the turtle like bijuu struggled against its bonds.

 **hE** ** _L_** **p** ** _m_** **E** **! w** ** _H_** ** _e_** **r** **E Are y** ** _O_** ** _u_** **fAt** ** _h_** ** _eR_** **?** **!**

It struck a chord within her.

Kakashi settled down by the bank of the lake, wrapping her arms around herself as she buried her face into her knees. She couldn't help but feel empathy with the beast. Where were their fathers when they needed them the most? Why did they have to leave?

 _…_ _I miss you Dad…_

Unable to do anything in fear of quickening the process, she sits there and watches as the chains holding down the Sanbi continue to loosen.

* * *

Kinoe's eye twitches as Obito's loud footsteps echo loudly through the cave.

 _Is he even trying to be discrete?_

They had slipped past the ANBU patrols, which was a miracle considering the fact that Obito's level of stealth was rather atrocious (by ANBU standards) and into the cave where Kakashi's trail lead them too. Kinoe wasted no time in darting towards Kakashi's side, hands hovering over the sealed chains that bind him to the floor. The Hatake stirs.

"…Ob…Obito?" The silver haired jonin whispers hoarsely, eyes struggling to stay open.

Kinoe frowns, slightly hurt. He wants to say that ' _no, I'm not Obito. Don't you know me, Senpai?'_ Then he remembers that his relationship with Kakashi is completely one-sided, as the son of the White Fang has never met him and isn't aware that he exists.

 _It doesn't matter. He'll know soon._

Kinoe isn't sure how soon is soon. Kakashi didn't look like he would be able to be inducted into ROOT in the immediate future - not with so many powerful people watching over him that would be constantly questioning his whereabouts.

The ROOT agent gets to work on the inked chains as Obito frets about, unsure of how to help. Kakashi's eyes focus on Kinoe, who is unravelling the binds with what little fuinjutsu that he knows.

"Who are you?" He asks with a raw throat.

Unsurprisingly, it is Obito who answers for him.

"He's some ANBU that found our patrol. He's a little bit on the short side and acts like a total asshole, but he's here to help!"

Kinoe is thankful that the Uchiha has such short memory that he doesn't remember that Kinoe referred to Kakashi as 'Senpai' when the jonin clearly doesn't know him, and the fact that ROOT agent asked for Kakashi _and only Kakashi_.

It takes a while, but the mokuton user is able to unseal the script and remove the chains. The Hatake is unconscious again, so Obito carries him on his back while Kinoe readies himself to confront any resistance that they could meet.

As soon as they broke the tree line and make their way towards the closest safe house, the Kiri ANBU appear behind them, throwing shuriken and kunai. It makes the Uchiha stumble, and Kinoe is quick to grow a wooden foothold beneath Obito's feet (because that stupid boy better not drop his Senpai). They are chased through the forest and into an open clearing with Kakashi draped limply over the goggle wearing chunin.

The Konoha shinobi are completely surrounded when the Hatake starts to stir again.

"Put…down," He mumbles. Instead of doing what his teammate asks him Obito tightens his grip on the jonin, warily observing the enemy with his sharingan activated. Kinoe is in a stance, fingers twitching, and waiting for the Kiri ANBU to move.

Suddenly, Kakashi gasps, jolting in Obito's tight hold.

"You…have to…put me down. _Now_."

There is something urgent in Kakashi's strained voice that makes the Uchiha comply, as he sets him down slowly without taking his eyes off the Kiri ANBU. When Kinoe takes a glance at his idol, he understands why. The abdominal area of Kakashi's shirt is starting to steam, and something red starts to bubble out and spread across the Hatake's body.

Kinoe's eyes dilate from behind his mask.

 _Jinchuuriki._

Uchiha fucked up big time. _One mission_ away, and the idiot causes Kakashi to become the host of a bijuu, and Kinoe is _so very angry_. If they get out of this alive, he's going to rip him a new one.

Kakashi shudders, trying to lock down on the foul chakra that emits from his belly. He looks up at his two comrades looking helpless, and it dawns on Kinoe that Kakashi cannot keep a demon at bay – not with such a compromised seal made by enemy hands. They've been played, and Kinoe feels foolish for being so blind.

So when the Hatake's eyes widen – with his sclera turning red and his iris turning golden – and he tells them to _run_ , he does exactly that. He slams his hands onto the ground to grow thick wooden restraints around Kakashi, and then grabs Obito by the collar and he bolts like his life depends on it (which it really did). Mokuton could only hold a bijuu back for so long.

"Oi!" Obito yelps, as he is pulled along. "What are you doing?! I thought you were helping us!"

"Kakashi is a jinchuuriki," Kinoe hisses at him as he drags the Uchiha. "We won't survive if we stick around."

Obito looks so blank it's not even funny. "A what?"

"A _jinchuuriki_ ," The ROOT agent stresses, "Is the host of a bijuu. Do you understand?"

Though Obito doesn't quite understand the significance of a 'human sacrifice', he sure as hell understands what a bijuu is. His face pales, though his eyes harden with determination, and the Uchiha's loyalty makes him prepare to fight for the right to stay behind with Kakashi.

That is, until an explosion of red and evil chakra throws them forwards. There is a monstrous roar of rage and the screams of the Kiri ANBU pierce the air.

Loyalty and fear battle in Obito's consciousness, but fear ultimately wins in the end. He doesn't protest when Kinoe starts to drag him again.

"Where are we going?" He asks, trying to hide a slight tremor in his voice.

Kinoe doesn't answer.

* * *

The darkness has never been so comforting before. Warmth was wrapped around her, as she let herself hover in the bliss.

But she was on a mission. What was she doing?

She was…she was…she was…

She remembers the sound of rattling chains, a lake and a heavy mist.

Mist?

Kiri.

Sanbi.

 **"J _u_ S _t_ R _el_ aX,"** A voice coos at her. **" _S tA_y _a l_ iTT _l_ e lo _nG_ er. _I'l_ l gET ri _d_ _oF_ t h _e a nT_s tH _a t h_uRt y _oU_ – hUrt _u s_."**

No, she can't relax. She's on a mission with Obito-

Obito. Where is Obito?

Despite the voice telling her that there is nothing to be worried about, she peels her eyelids apart and takes in the scene before.

She's surrounded by bodies. There so many bodies dyed red with blood. They all wear the mark of Kiri, the people that hurt her, the people that hurt Obito, and she wants to _Killallofthemcausetheyhurther_. The red takes over her vision and her body moves on its own, gliding across the clearing to hunt for more prey.

 **"** **What are you doing?"** The voice isn't the same as before. It's someone else, and it's whispering in her ear. **"Control the beast. Don't let it control** ** _you_** **."**

That's right. She needs to protect Obito and the ANBU that helped her. And the patrol.

She stomps down on the rage that bubbles in her stomach, and she's suddenly staring into a single eye full of hatred with red eyes of her own. The five star shuriken spins rapidly, and she says, " _Sleep_."

The Sanbi growls at her, but can't do anything but obey her command. As the bijuu enters a forced slumber, the red clears and the pain finally hits Kakashi like a sledgehammer. Her legs buckle, and she falls on all fours in the middle of a massacre. Parts of her skin have burned away, but are regrown right in front of her eyes. Her shoes, gloves and parts of her shirt are gone.

She knows it's only a matter of time before the Sanbi reawakens, and her eyes dart to the Hiraishin mark branded on the inside of her bicep.

 _Minato-sensei._

She quickly sends pulses of chakra into the seal, hoping that her sensei will come.

 _Please, please, please…_

There is a flash of yellow, and her sensei stands before her. His blue eyes take in the battleground around him before looking at her kneeling tired form.

"Help. Please," Kakashi begs. The blonde man gives her gentle look that makes her feel safe. Like the way her father used to.

He places a warm hand on the top of her head and ruffles her hair. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you."

And for the second time that day, the darkness comes, and she welcomes it.

* * *

A White Zetsu stands next to its dark counterpart, as they watch the resealing of the Sanbi take place.

"If I may ask, why aren't we capturing the Sanbi? It's the perfect opportunity," the White Zetsu asks. Black Zetsu didn't look amused (not that you could tell with his non-existent facial features).

 **"** **It's too early, the Gedo statue is not ready. Besides, do you really think that we will be able to seal a bijuu by** ** _ourselves_** **?"** Black Zetsu replies condescendingly to its inferior companion.

"Then why let it be sealed in the Hatake boy?" White Zetsu insists.

 **"** **Why?"** The son of Kaguya echoes. **"Insurance. Madara cannot die until he finds a suitable puppet."**

The previous one didn't last very long, and they needed someone who could keep up the ruse of being Uchiha Madara. Replacing them multiple times was more trouble than it was worth, and none of them were anywhere near the level that the faux Madara needed to be. The Uzumaki boy with Madara's rinnegan would easily be able to tell that the puppet was not the legendary Uchiha, and would be less inclined to be persuaded into contributing to the progress of the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Hatake Kakashi was a half-blood, and despite his diluted heritage, he showed the most promise. The strength that Zetsu predicted that the Hatake would obtain would be an asset to the _Tsuki no Me_. However, the boy was still loyal to his village…all he needed was a little push, some sort of motivation to desert the village that he spent more than half of his life serving.

A devious thought had crossed Zetsu's mind when he heard of the news that the Gobi jinchuuriki had hated his village (and humanity in general) so much, that he left to live in isolation.

The jinchuuriki aren't treated very well in their villages were they?

Of course, with the Hatake's connections with a Hokage candidate, news of the silver haired jonin becoming the container of a bijuu would be kept secret. But he were to say, spread a rumour, all precautions would be rendered moot. Shinobi thrived on information and gossip, and it wouldn't take very long for the entire village to know that the son of the White Fang was the host of a demon. It would only be a matter of time before the Hatake snapped under the hatred of an entire village.

It seemed to Zetsu that humans loved stomping on landmines.

And if Hatake Kakashi had an extraordinarily strong will (like that clan of red haired menaces) to resist all the neglect and mistreatment of his village, then the spores that Zetsu had placed on the boy would make it easier for him to be tracked down when the time came.

Until then, Madara would have to put up with the temporary cannon fodder that Zetsu was sending his way.

* * *

 **OMAKE: (I don't even know anymore)**

Obito and Kakashi were making their way towards the training grounds when the silver haired jonin stiffened, her head snapping into a certain direction.

Her Gai senses were tingling.

"KAKASHI! MY ETERNAL RIVAL!"

She runs like her ass is on fire, leaving a confused Obito standing in the middle of the road, looking puzzled when a green blur zoomed past him and after his teammate.

Unfortunately for Kakashi, she was still recovering from her injuries at Kannabi Bridge, and thus, was not as fast enough to escape the spandex wearing taijutsu freak. She grimaced when Gai caught up to her and captured her in a tackle hug that knocked the breath out of her and sent them tumbling onto the training grounds. With her back pressed into the dirt, her eyebrow twitched when he sat on her stomach, beaming down at her with a wide smile and wiggling eyebrows. Her sore arms throbbed with pain as Gai unintentionally stepped on her hands.

"Do you feel it Kakashi?! The spring time of youth has gifted me with the toughest buttocks that the elemental nations have ever seen!"

As if to demonstrate, he tensed his cheeks of meat _while sitting on her_. It was true that Gai's hindquarters were strong and absolutely rock hard against her belly, but the oblivious boy had no idea how uncomfortable and _freaked out_ Kakashi was feeling. Who on earth did that sort of thing?! In a show of impressive flexibility, Kakashi attempted to strangle the boy sitting on top of her with her legs.

It was this scene in which Obito happened upon as he finally caught up to his silver haired teammate. To be fair, Gai looked to be doing something unsavoury from his position, and Kakashi's frantic struggling stirred something within his chest. As the nephew of an officer of the law, he did as his duty dictated for him to enact, and promptly attempted to murder the boy that was (not) violating his teammate.

He couldn't fathom that Gai swung the other way in sexual preferences, believing that the heterosexual boy would _stay_ heterosexual (it also brought up the fact that Obito still couldn't decide his own sexuality), and was a firm believer in treating comrades as friends, no matter _how_ good looking they were, and not as objects of satisfaction.

The fact that Gai was doing something extremely out of character did not register in Obito's mind. To do such a vulgar activity was not received well, and the fact that Gai was violating his teammate _in front of him_ (and this wasn't even counting the fact that the Uchiha had mixed and confused feelings for said teammate) – it wouldn't end well for the green clothed boy.

Gai leapt out of the way of Obito's kunai as the Uchiha attempted to kill him.

"Hello Obito-san! What a youthful day that we are having!" The boy greeted cheerily as he escaped Obito's ire and endeavour to permanently end him. Kakashi quickly wrapped her arms around him, restraining the Uchiha from offing Gai and his insufferable obsession with her ' _derriere'_.

" _DIE!_ "

"Would you like to youthfully compare your buns to mine? My eternal rival still has not permitted me to 'cop a feel' as he so put it. I am unsure of what that means, but the spring time of youth demands that my posterior must be compared to Kakashi's!"

Gai then proceeded to turn around and bend over in a ninety degree angle, giving Obito and Kakashi a direct view of a ' _heinie_ ' encased in a skin tight jumpsuit which would make most full grown women jealous. If it wasn't for the fact that Gai was decidedly _not a woman_ and had an ass like that, worn with something as tight a green spandex…it made it all the more disturbing. The sharingan users were so very thankful that their dojutsu was not activated.

"So you weren't attempting to violate Kakashi?"

Gai looked absolutely scandalised and extremely offended.

"Why would I attempt to deflower my eternal rival? Something like that is so unyouthful that I would run around Konoha on my hands for ETERNITY!"

* * *

 **Kinoe finally meets Kakashi and Obito.**

 **Man, there were so many ways that this could have ended.**

 **The people that asked for a Gai and Kakashi moment, I hope you enjoyed it (even though I have no idea what possessed me to write something so weird). It was inspired by my sister who sat on me and did the exact same thing. _Oh my Buddha_ that was one of the weirdest things I have ever experienced.**


	6. Chapter 6

As Kakashi is transported to a secure wing of the hospital, Kinoe and Obito return to Konoha.

There is an emergency war council. The topic of their debate?

"The Sanbi?" Nara Shikaku asks in interest, chin resting in the palm of his hand.

"We should kill him," suggests Hyuuga Hiashi. He holds nothing against the boy, but he only worries for the rest of the village. "There is a chance that the seal will not hold. It was compromised the moment Kiri sealed the beast into Sakumo's son."

"Do you doubt Minato so much that you will kill one of his students?" Uchiha Fugaku says incredulously. "You do realise that he is one of the best fuinjutsu masters on the continent, correct?"

Hiashi doesn't respond, but his face is set in stone.

"Logically, we must also consider the benefits of having a second jinchuuriki," Aburame Shibi states. "Why? Because having another host will decrease the chance of Konoha being invaded by twenty percent, and increase the chances of winning the war by thirty percent. You have seen what a jinchuuriki like Killer B can do."

This makes Yamanaka Inoichi nod in agreement, but he adds his own opinion. "Those are valid points, however, I don't believe that the civilians will take it well if we reveal that Kakashi-kun is a bijuu container."

"Take it well?" Inuzuka Tsume snorts. "They'll run around like headless chickens. The close minded ones already give us enough grief."

"The wellbeing of Hatake-kun must also be taken into account," Akimichi Choza says. "The other villages have made the mistake of mistreating their jinchuuriki to the point that most have gone insane. Most of the shinobi population will understand if we explain it clearly, but the civilians…what they did to Sakumo will be compassionate compared to what they will do to his son."

"Then Kakashi's status as a jinchuuriki shall stay a secret," The Sandaime decides. The rest of the clans heads show signs of confirming his choice. Danzo says nothing, but formulates plans of his own. He'll have to wait for Kinoe's full report.

While the council move their discussion onto other matters, a dark figure re-emerges from a tree outside of Konoha, his work already complete. It doesn't matter what lengths the council will go through to protect Kakashi, because Zetsu has already started a fire that will burn the last living Hatake and drive a loyal shinobi away.

* * *

"Did you hear? The Hatake brat is the host of a demon!"

"I knew he was trouble! How can Hokage-sama let someone so dangerous walk around unguarded?!"

"Like father like son. The Hatake will always bring trouble to Konoha."

And through it all, little Uchiha Itachi sits and listens, wondering if humanity had always been so cruel.

* * *

Kakashi stirs, eyes opening to a concrete ceiling. She's in a plain concrete room, with no windows and almost completely devoid of furniture. Kakashi recognises this part of the hospital. This is the secure wing of the hospital, where dangerous and easily triggered shinobi are treated.

"You're awake."

She tilts her head over to one side.

"Kushina-nee?"

The red haired Uzumaki sits on the edge of her hospital bed, and runs her fingers through Kakashi's silver hair.

"I'm so sorry Kakashi," Her sensei's wife whispers gently. "Everything's going to get a lot harder from here on out."

"Why?" Kakashi asks. "Where is Minato-sensei?"

As if called, the blonde man enters the room, a grim look on his face. Kushina notices immediately, straightening when he slumps into the chair beside Kakashi's bed. He runs a tanned hand over his face tiredly.

"What is it?" Kushina questions.

"Everyone knows," Minato replies gravely. "Someone leaked that Kakashi's a jinchuuriki. The civilians are demanding that she's executed, exiled or gotten rid of. The shinobi aren't doing much better, and the council is trying to do damage control. Hokage-sama is putting you on probation for a month, to let you recover and get prepared."

"Get prepared for what?" Kakashi finally responds, already dreading the answer.

Her sensei isn't looking her in the eye, blue eyes firmly planted on his feet.

"You're not safe in public. Hell, you're not even safe during missions with the general shinobi populace – not with this much prejudice spreading through the ranks. You need to disappear, while we try to sort out this mess."

He holds out a scroll, which his wife snatches and unseals its contents. A white porcelain mask tumbles into Kakashi's lap.

"The shadow ranks," Kushina says quietly, looking angry and horrified at the same time. "The council wants you in ANBU."

* * *

Obito is seconds away from mowing down the nurse and busting down the doors of the hospital.

He's asked for Kakashi's room several times, and each time he is denied.

The Uchiha has been in a state of confusion, panic and concern ever since the short ANBU dropped him off at the gates and left without a backwards glance. For one reason or another, people would point and whisper at him, though he never stopped to find out why.

"Why won't you let me in?!" He demands. The nurse scowled at him, clipboard held close to her chest.

"This is a _hospital_ ," she stresses. "The patients don't need you disturbing their rest."

"What seems to be the problem here?"

"Sensei!"

Both of them turn to the blonde man that emerged from the hall. The jonin took the dark haired boy by the shoulder and guided him outside much to the nurse's relief.

"So what are you doing here Obito?" Minato asks.

"I was going to see Kakashi and Rin," he replies, suspicious when his sensei tenses and cringes.

The blue eyed man rubs the back of his neck and says, "About that…Rin's taking care of a high profile patient, and Kakashi's situation is currently classified. You aren't permitted to see him."

The Namikaze clamps a hand over Obito's mouth before he can start shouting again. He also grimaces, loathing to tell his student the last bit of news that would no doubt leave the Uchiha even more furious.

"You're being transferred over to Team Choza, since Genma has been selected to join a new platoon. I'm sorry Obito, but Team Minato is disbanding."

As expected, Obito doesn't take it well.

* * *

Training with Kushina is like being mowed over by several boulders, being thrown off a cliff, and swimming up a waterfall…at the same time.

No joke.

Kakashi spends most of the month with bruises upon bruises, all the while improving her chakra control. She has to relearn tree walking, and having the ability to cast genjutsu without a Sharingan is almost non-existent. Her ninjutsu has more power, but was harder to control, and her stamina had increased dramatically (thanks to Kushina).

There was also the matter of her new demon-host status that they didn't bring up until Kakashi heard roars of rage from within her mindscape. Kushina tells her about the hardships of being a jinchuuriki, and that she wasn't alone before revealing that she is also one as well, giving her tips and pieces of advice about handling the red chakra. She tells Kakashi about how the only way to suppress a Bijuu is through love. For a few moments, Kakashi's traitorous mind gives her an image of a smiling orange wearing Uchiha, before she brutally ejects it from her thoughts. There was no way that Obito would ever look at her like that. He was in love with Rin.

By the end of the month, Kakashi has readapted to her new chakra reserves, and her combat skills has shot up several notches. It was quite an enjoyable (painful) experience – being trained by Kushina, that is – and she hopes that they would be able to do it again.

All in all, the red-haired jinchuuriki deems her ready for her induction into ANBU.

Minato wasn't there, as he was busy training up an elite guard platoon for his not-so-secret-soon-to-be-announced promotion to Hokage. She hadn't seen Rin or Obito in a while, and wondered how they were doing.

* * *

"Souske-san? Daichi-san?" She says in surprise when she finds her father's old teammates decked out in ANBU gear. "You are my squad mates?"

"Hey there, brat," Souske smiles tiredly at her. Daichi waves at her half-heartedly, as he laid sprawled on the training grounds, looking up at the clouds. She hasn't seen them since her father's funeral, and they had changed in the five years that they had been gone.

Souske was a tall, blonde haired Yamanaka, who was a talented sensor. Five years ago, he didn't have as many crow-feet or stress lines, and his clan's signature long lair was sheared short.

Daichi was dark haired Inuzuka. He lost his canine partner a long time ago, and refused to bond with another since. His eye bags were prominent, and he sported a small goatee. He had a scar that ran over the bridge of his nose, across his cheek and to his ear.

"Where are the others?" She asks quizzically, when she didn't spot anyone else. She was under the impression that ANBU teams were larger than this.

"It's just us, Kakashi-kun," Daichi mutters from his resting position.

"Only three?" She says in confusion, tilting her head to the right – a habit that she had picked up from her dogs.

"An ANBU team consists of eight-members. The team is usually spilt up into different sub-units depending on specialties or the nature of the mission, and it is rare for all eight to appear at the same time – training notwithstanding. Assassinations, recon, infiltration and hunter-nins work in pairs or solo. Guards and trackers are in a trio, and assault and ambush units in fours. All of them ultimately answer to the same captain."

Daichi hoists himself up as Souske continues to explain.

"Rookies are partnered with a more experienced operative, so it's a one on one mentorship to get them into the flow of things. It's quicker than having to teach a whole squad of newbies and then distributing them among the older teams. Partners can be switched, and separate line-ups are shuffled around frequently. This way, rookies can learn to operate in small and large groups. Right now, the other five are on their own missions, so you'll meet up with them sooner or later."

Kakashi is silent for a moment.

"Do you know about…?"

"There's no point in hiding it, the whole village knows," Daichi scoffs as he dusts his pants off and stands up. When he sees her unreadable expression, he adds, "We don't follow sheep anymore, Kakashi-kun. We've already made that mistake with Sakumo, we're not gonna do it with you."

Souske claps a hand on her shoulder and starts to guide her over to the training posts. "The rest of the team won't bother you about it either, and if they did dislike you in any way, they'll be professional about it."

Any doubts that Kakashi had before being assigned to a new squad is eased away as she trains with her new teammates.

Minato finds it concerning that someone as young as his student finds comfort in the shadow ranks.

ANBU is for the broken, after all.

* * *

Kushina told her to ignore it.

But she was curious. Kakashi went into her mindscape anyway, to confront the beast that was occupying her body.

She stands at the edge of the lake, looking at the Sanbi. It was weighed down by a secure net of chains, with large stakes pinning its tails and hands into the bed of the lake. A far cry from the measly restraints that was used during her time as a captive of Kiri-nin. A massive golden-red eye glares at her through the light fog surrounding the massive beast.

 **"** **What do you want?"** It growls at her.

She stares at it for a minute, before opening her mouth, "Who is the one that you call father?"

Because if it does have one, then the idea that the Bijuu are just beings of hatred and chakra might not be as true as many believe.

It snarls at her, new anger and killing intent leaking off its body. **"Don't act like you care! You humans are all the same! You are not worthy of even knowing his name!"**

The Sanbi thrashes, making waves lap at her feet.

 **"** **LEAVE!"**

And she is thrown from her mindscape and back to the real world.

She doesn't visit it again.

* * *

"I sensed a spike in your chakra…as well as the other one."

"Oh…"

"We're you…?

"Sorry."

"It's alright, just don't do it again. Not while we're in enemy territory."

* * *

The Third Shinobi War ends.

The Sandaime Hokage retires, and Minato is appointed as Yondaime.

Kushina gets pregnant.

Several Uchiha are disappearing.

It's only the start of something that will lead to ten long years of hell.

* * *

Team Ro rotates in guarding Kushina.

The red-head likes to gossip with Uchiha Mikoto, while bustling around the market place, bargaining so hard for her groceries that she leaves paying almost nothing (several members of the team take notes to replicate the technique at a later date). As the months go on, the Uzumaki's belly steadily starts growing, she is forced to stay indoors, limiting her contact with people to only special visitors.

Team Ro are there to witness Kushina's random mood swings, and the amusing reactions of Konoha's Kiiroi Senko to said mood swings.

When its Kakashi's turn to guard the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, Kushina and Minato are sometimes able to coax her out the shadows (or off the roof) to eat dinner with them, like they used to before the Hatake's induction into ANBU. She still has a room in their apartment, but she had spent more time at ANBU Headquarters and the barracks for convenience.

She sees the way that her sensei lovingly caresses Kushina's stomach, and she listens to the way that the two excitedly discuss baby names and talk about converting the storage room for the baby.

Kakashi sometimes wishes that she had someone to love her like Minato did Kushina. She sometimes dreams of dark-haired mask wearing children.

She vows to protect her sensei's child.

* * *

It's been almost a year since Obito has seen Kakashi. The Uchiha doesn't even know how his teammate is. When he tries to ask Minato-sensei, he just gets a hasty answer of 'Oh Kakashi? Yeah, he's well' before he's ushered out of the Hokage tower and back to his team. He rarely gets to see Rin either – she seemed to be getting busier and busier at the hospital.

His time with Team Choza is not unpleasant, but it's not the same. Team Minato just…fit better. They slid into place, working like a well-oiled machine. Even when Rin was put out of commission, he and Kakashi were like a hurricane, knocking and tearing down their enemies like dominos.

Minato-sensei has achieved his dream of becoming Hokage, Rin's steadily climbing her way up the medical ladder, and even though he doesn't know what his silver-haired friend is up to, he knows that he's doing great.

It feels like he's been left behind.

Oh, sure, Minato-sensei tries his best to have team outings with their old squad, but as Hokage, he's always busy. Rin can barely make it herself, and god knows what Kakashi's been up to.

He'd never been one to do so before – because he always believed that things could only be proven true if one witnesses it themselves – but he starts listening to the rumour mill.

 _"_ _It's the most basic information gathering technique. They might not necessarily be correct, but all lies have a ring of truth to them. You'd be surprised at what you learn."_

Choza-sensei was right, Obito found a lot of information that he ignored before.

(He didn't know that Anko had a crush on Ibiki!)

There is also the issue of his wayward teammate.

"I think the demon brat is dead, haven't seen him in a while."

"I don't think so, Hokage-sama would have made a big deal about it."

"Minato-sama is just so kind, caring about his student even though he's…you know…"

"I can't believe that I let my son attend the academy with that freak."

"I heard that was seal was made by Kiri-nin. You know when the kid was almost assassinated when he was four? It was then! Probably the reason why we never noticed any oddities about that child."

It finally clicks. It's been an entire year, it finally clicks.

He thought that they were just exaggerating when they started talking like the Hatake wasn't even human. Obito – the (ignorant) idiot – has ignored everything that the people had ever said about his teammate, because he's heard it all before. He had just figured that people still had some beef with Kakashi or with his father.

 ** _"_** ** _Like father like son. The Hatake will always bring trouble to Konoha."_**

 ** _"_** ** _I knew he was trouble! How can Hokage-sama let someone so dangerous walk around unguarded?!"_**

But then the talk about Kiri, seals, about the assassination attempt on his teammate when he was so young…

 ** _"_** ** _Kakashi is a jinchuuriki – the host of a Bijuu. Do you understand? We won't survive if we stick around."_**

He finally pieces everything together. Ever since that disastrous patrol mission, Obito has done some research into the Bijuu and Jinchuuriki, he knows exactly what Kakashi is (everyone does, but not in the same way that he did). Kakashi doesn't have Mokuton, but that short ANBU did, and Mokuton was one of the only ways to supress a Bijuu. Seeing that Kakashi nor Obito recognised him, it probably meant that the village was keeping an eye on Kakashi before Kanabi Bridge, maybe even before they met.

 ** _"Some seals don't last forever Kakashi. That seal has been active for the last eight years."_**

Obito adds two and two and somehow gets sixty-three.

Because he believes that Kakashi has been a jinchuuriki since he was four, and it hurts to know that someone he considers his best friend didn't tell him something like this. It's not like he would react like the Hatake was the most horrible thing on earth ( _An explosion of red and evil chakra throws them forwards. There is a monstrous roar of rage and the screams of the Kiri ANBU pierce the air. All that Obito can feel is fear_ ).

His opinion of his friend would drastically change during the next few years. He can't help it, but the fear that surrounds both the civilians and the shinobi is almost too much to take, and he is consumed with the hatred that surrounds Konoha. Eventually, he will break away from the masses and realise his mistake, but by then, it would be too late.

* * *

Kakashi is fourteen.

For the first time in a year, Kakashi openly walks through the streets of her home village. If she had her way, she would have stayed in the shadows of Konoha for the rest of her life, but Minato deemed it okay for her to grace the village with her presence again, and encouraged her to mingle with old friends.

She finds it odd that her sensei had such naïve faith the people of this village. No matter who the poor victim was, there would be no way that they would be easily accepted into this contradictory society. They say that Konoha was the softest and the kindest to its shinobi and civilians, yet they adore you one minute and hate you the next. They can hide behind smiles and pretend like they didn't drive her father to the darkest corners of his mind, like they didn't treat her like trash. Needless to say, Kakashi doesn't have a very favourable opinion of her home.

The stares and the whispering were starting to bother her. She's about to ignore it and continue her way to the book store, when her spine started tingling.

"MY ETERNAL RIVAL!"

Ah, those were her Gai senses.

There's a blur of green, a dust cloud, and she's suddenly flat on her back with Gai beaming down at her. As she picks herself up and dusts off her pants, the boy in the green spandex starts to do lunges around her.

People are gaping. One man covers his son's eyes when Gai's spandex stretches so far that it looks like it's about to snap. Several women are eyeing his ass with a thoughtful frown on their faces.

"It's been a while Kakashi! Would you like to indulge me in a youthful sprint around the village?!"

Kakashi has always wondered if Gai had a mute button. The odds of that are getting lower and lower the longer she spends time around the overly zealous boy.

It's sort of nice, that the chunin doesn't care or doesn't know about her status as a jinchuuriki.

"No thanks," She declines. She doesn't want to involve such a bright and hopeful figure with herself. She doesn't want the people of this village to think of him as a 'demon-lover'. Gai shouldn't lose his spark. Not for her.

The night feels uneasy, and Kakashi can't shake the feeling that something is about to go terribly wrong.

Things _do_ go wrong, when she feels a familiar pull on the seal of her neck.

 _Shit! At a time like this!_

She's surrounded by a crowd of people that are still staring at her (at Gai, actually). Kakashi hastily pulls herself out of the conversation, and attempts to leave, but Gai wraps his arms around her shoulders, clinging onto her with the strength of a thousand parasites and refuses to let go.

"You have turned down my offers countless times over the years! No more! I will not allow it! The Spring Time of Youth demands that you participate!"

"Look, Gai," She says hurriedly, as her eyes dart around for an escape. The pull on her nape was getting gradually worse. "I just don't think– "

She's interrupted by a large explosion halfway across the village. An enormous pillar of smoke shoots upwards, along with a shockwave that blows the civilians off their feet.

"What the hell is that?!"

"What's going on?!"

As the dust and smoke drifts away, glowing red eyes open and glare at its surroundings. It roars, a guttural and deafening sound that echoes across the village. If people weren't aware of its presence, they were now.

Dread pools in Kakashi's stomach. The tugging of her seal is forgotten.

"It's the Kyuubi!"

"RUN!"

 _This couldn't be happening._

A stray tail smashes into a building, making it crumble with the people within. Her seal insistently tugs at her chakra.

 _The Kyuubi is supposed to be safely sealed within Kushina with Minato watching over her, along with half of Team Ro guarding them._

Another tail thumps the ground beneath it, crushing the unfortunate below.

 _If the Kyuubi was here, then…_

Horrified realisation takes over her being, as the strongest of the Bijuu slams its clawed fists into the shinobi trying to evacuate the civilians.

 _…_ _What happened to Kushina?_

"Come, Kyuubi! I shall be your opponent!" Gai foolishly yells.

"Don't!" A shinobi outfitted in a jonin attire holds out his arm and blocks his path. It's Kurenai's father, Yuhi Shinku. "Gather with the others at the guardroom. This is an order from the Sandaime!"

His eyes drift to Kakashi. "That includes you too, Hatake-san."

"But I can help!" She insists. She can, she's a jinchuuriki.

"No, you can't control it," Shinku snaps. He doesn't need to elaborate about what he meant. "You are a part of the new generation. Konoha has no future without you. Now go! That is an order!"

Gai tugs at her arm, and she follows reluctantly, while a few others are rounded up and herded with them.

The younger shinobi are stationed inside a barrier of trees, guarded by a team of older jonin. She can see Kurenai, Asuma and many others of her surviving graduating class. She can hear the others arguing that they could participate in the fight, but she pays it no mind, searching the crowd for familiar faces – or rather, the missing faces.

"Where is Obito and Rin?"

She can't find them.

"Some of the others are in the evacuation shelters, and some are in other safe zones like this one. Medics and medic trainees are still in the hospital trying to evacuate the patients," Asuma explains, though he doesn't seem too happy with that arrangement. Kakashi doesn't protest against this, and continues to wait.

That is, until a harsh pull against her seal sends bolts of pain through her body. She hardly has enough time to think before a wave of crippling pain engulfs her, making her collapse into the grass.

"What the-! Kakashi?!"

Black lines of scripts expand over her skin, and start to glow a faint blue.

It feels like she is being burned alive. Her eyes are shut, and her jaw is clenched, her hands fisting themselves until her knuckles are white in an effort to dull the pain. There are hands that are trying to turn her over, but she can only register her body feeling like it was turning itself inside out, as she curls into herself. Ever so slowly, the physical shell of the illusion keeping her true identity hidden recedes over her skin. By the time the pain stops, she's panting heavily. There's a loud ringing in her ears, making her unable to hear the sudden silence of the people that surround her.

"Kakashi?" Is the quiet whisper from Kurenai.

The Hatake opens her eyes, looking the blurry feet of a kneeling Gai. Her skin feels raw and exposed, and her clothes feel too loose and too tight in certain areas. She attempts to push herself to her feet, but pauses when she sees her hands.

They're smaller, fingers thinner, and her gloves are too large.

Long strands of silver hair fall over her shoulders, pooling on the ground. It's far too long.

As she sits up, she sees that her waist is slimmer, hips are wider and her feet have shrunken a bit. Her arms are thinner, her shoulders aren't as broad, and on her chest, are a pair of breasts.

Her pants and shoes feel like they're going to fall off, and she feels like she's going to trip over her own hair. She's a girl now, and everyone can see that she's a girl. But that's not what makes her scared.

Her Hiraishin brand on her bicep. There's no chakra.

Whenever her sensei leaves a mark, he leaves a small bit of his chakra behind. It's so faint that most people don't know that it's there. It's how he could tell where his marks are at, and which one to teleport to. Whenever she's alone on a mission, she feels comfort in the tiny trace of her sensei's chakra. Sometimes she would send a small pulse through it, not enough to summon him, but enough for him to subconsciously nudge her chakra back in a way that said 'call me when you need me, I'll be there'. So long that he was alive, she will always be able to sense it on her person. But its's not there. It's gone.

She sends a small pulse to it. It doesn't respond.

"Kakashi?"

She ignores the people speaking to her, and stumbles to her feet, her hair brushing against her calves (it's just like Kushina's, but it's too impractical for Kakashi, she'll have to cut it soon). Gai grabs her by the arm, but she shrugs it off.

She needs to get to her Sensei. She needs to get to Kushina.

There's a jonin at the barrier, kneeling beside a sealing tag. He looks at her warily, and tenses. Kakashi scoffs, eyeing the tag. She's the student of the greatest fuinjutsu master on the continent. A little barrier tag like this isn't going to stop her. She would be a terrible student if she couldn't get past something so simple. While she isn't on the level of her master, she knows more than most.

A barrier held by only one shinobi should have more than one weak point.

Her sharingan flickers to life.

There's a thin wall of blue that extends upwards through the sky with no sign of stopping, and the corners look thinner than they should. There are a team of shinobi guarding them though, and she doesn't desire to fight them. Her eyes drift below. There's no barrier under the ground though.

When the shinobi powering the seal stops tensing, thinking that she wasn't going to do anything, she takes it as her cue to move.

 _'_ _Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu!"_

Taking a swan dive into the earth, she disappears, heedless of the shouts of surprise and yells of alarm.

* * *

Obito stands in a safe zone with some of the other younger shinobi.

He wants to help, he really does, but there is not much that he can do. He can only pray that the rest of his team are safe, both former and current.

Elsewhere, the hospital collapses, burying those inside.

* * *

 **Wondering why the Kyuubi attacked even though Obito is as sane as can be? Don't worry, all will be revealed in the next chapter.**

 **BTW, any requests for Omakes? I'm out of ideas.**


	7. Chapter 7

Uchiha Setsuna had been one of those that turned that their back on their leader during the founding of their beloved village. When he finally realised what Madara had tried to warn them of, he had been ashamed. He could see the Uchiha being slowly excluded from power, he could see that the Senju grew as the clan began to gain more privileges, with greater reputations because of their relations to the Hokage.

The position of the Police Force was one that they were granted as an appeasement of being denied the Hokage title twice. Most saw it as an honour, but Setsuna saw it as an insult. The Uchiha were the co-founders of the village, but they were being shunted to the side was the Senju flourished. At first, he hadn't minded, as the Uchiha were sick of war and conflict, but as time went on, it became clear that the Uchiha would never be held in equal regard as the Senju. Madara's betrayal as the first shinobi to desert their village also painted them in a bad light, but they had endured through the initial suspicion.

Setsuna had quite liked Senju Hashirama as the Shodaime – he had been fair, encouraging the Uchiha to live in harmony with the Senju. He hadn't tried to shift the blame of Madara's abandonment of the village, and tried his best to help. Their alliance made them unbeatable. They had banded together, with more and more joining their cause for peace.

No, it was his brother, Tobirama, his successor as the Nidaime Hokage that made Setsuna realise that everything that Madara warned them of would come true. Setsuna wasn't the only one that came to the same conclusion. Several others gathered together in an attempt to bring the Uchiha back into power, but they were ratted out _by their own clansmen_. They didn't even give them an execution – shoving them in a cell for a few years with their chakra sealed before letting them live in the outskirts of the compound in shame.

Setsuna was an old shinobi now, well into his fifties, still distrusted by the clansmen that still remembered what he tried to do three decades ago. He had taken great joy in the fact that the Nidaime had died with Saratobi Hiruzen instated as the Sandaime, as the Uchiha were treated much better as the Senju began to die out. He had atoned for his sins, quite happy with the way that his clan would prosper, his resentment for his clansmen long gone and forgiven.

Which was why, just hours before the Kyuubi attack, when half a plant that looked like a Venus fly trap claiming to be the will of Uchiha Madara appeared before him, he attacked without hesitation. If he had been in his prime, he might have been able to beat the original Zetsu, but Setsuna was ancient by shinobi standards, with most of his power diminished by old age.

"Will he be able to keep up? He's a bit…frail," White Zetsu asked doubtfully, peering down at the struggling shinobi.

 **"** **He doesn't need to,"** Black Zetsu responds, his features changing into the man below them. Another Uchiha Setsuna stood in the room. **"We only need his eyes."**

* * *

"Sensei! Kushina-nee!"

Kakashi skids to a stop before the bodies of her master and his wife. She is not the only one that arrives at the scene, the Sandaime and his guards following close behind. Her sensei is pale and still, and Kushina looks close to death as well. As she approaches, she kneels before them, hands hovering, as she didn't know what to do or how to help. The red head tiredly opened her eyes, gaze focused on her fellow jinchuuriki.

"Kakashi…you look…wonderful," The Uzumaki chuckles, but coughs blood as the Sandaime gently props her up. "Promise me…promise me that you will look after Naruto."

Kakashi's eyes dart to the sleeping babe on the sealing altar, and she gingerly scoops the child into her arms. He had her sensei's bright yellow hair and tanned skin, but he had Kushina's features.

"I'll protect him," she says, eyes starting to burn. "I swear it."

Kushina's eyes crinkled upwards, a soft smile on her face. Sensing her time was near, and clinging on for as long as possible, she weakly cupped Kakashi's cheek.

"Don't train too hard…don't be afraid to ask for help…make sure to spend time with your friends…and one day…take off your mask…don't be afraid to show the world who you really are." The edges of Kakashi's vision started to blur, but she stubbornly kept her tears at bay, hoping that her last moments with Kushina would remain clear. "Minato would be proud of you – _I'm_ proud of you."

Having said her piece, the Uzumaki let her hand drop, sliding down Kakashi's cheek and onto the blonde tuff of hair of her son. With a loving smile and one last exhale, and Kushina succumbed to her injuries, leaving her only son orphaned, and the girl that she mentored alone.

As the Sandaime lowers Kushina to the ground, Kakashi clutches the sleeping baby closer, and cries.

* * *

The funeral is miserable.

It doesn't rain, but the sky is dark and the village is still in ruins.

People mourn for the Yondaime Hokage and the shinobi that died.

As people start to leave, the Sandaime approaches Obito.

"What do you need Sandaime-sama?" He asks when he sees the reinstated Hokage beckon him over.

"Obito-kun," The Shinobi no Kami greets with a grim face. "I hope you are coping well."

"It's…it's fine. It hurts, but I'll get better," Obito says bitterly. His sensei didn't spend much time with him before his death, but he had tried his best. The blonde man had been there to help him when he was too weak, and he was grateful for everything he had done for him. He didn't know Kushina that well, but she had been that nice woman that fixed them up after training was a bit rough. He'll miss both of them.

"I apologise for asking such a trivial question, but do you know where Hatake Kakashi and Nohara Rin are?" He hadn't seen them anywhere during the funeral. He wanted to see them but it was understandable if the Hokage didn't know, he couldn't remember the faces and names of all his shinobi.

The weary man frowned, "I do not come bearing good news. Since you are Minato's student, I've come to tell you this personally."

The feeling of foreboding was almost overwhelming for Obito.

"When the hospital collapsed, several medics and medic-trainees where still evacuating patients. Nohara Rin is MIA."

* * *

After the Kyuubi attack, the prejudice against the Bijuu and their Jinchuuriki are at an all time high.

Kakashi is forced to stay in ANBU again.

She doesn't mind.

She's with remainder of Team Ro (who are down to three members), who are the ones that are taking care of the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, as more than half of their squad had perished in the attack. Three were killed, and two are missing. Kakashi doesn't know them that well, but she stays silent as Souske and Daichi mourn.

* * *

"Jiraiya."

The white haired man hops into the room through the window, and leans against the sill. He observes his sensei, looking more tired than he had ever seen him. He is cradling a sleeping baby with blonde hair and distinct whisker marks on his cheeks.

"I want to adopt him," The Toad Sage says, as he takes the babe from his old master. He can see both Minato and Kushina in him, and it leaves a painful ache in his chest. He ignores the pain, because he has promised to be the godfather of this child, and he will do his duty. He'll take little Naruto with him in the road, teach him his father's tricks and keep him safe.

"Young Kakashi has also asked to adopt him, as well as numerous other shinobi and clan heads," The Sarutobi sighs. "My advisors as well as others on the council have forbidden anyone to claim guardianship of him. There will be a power struggle within the clans if I did, and the others will start to claim that I favour one over the other…I have always detested politics."

"It would make sense for me to look after him," Jiraiya protests. "I'm a fuinjutsu master."

"A jinchuuriki isn't allowed to be raised abroad, lest the council think that you are trying to subvert the loyalty of a powerful asset."

"How can you let them talk about him like he's a weapon?" The white haired man says in disbelief and anger.

"Because in their eyes, that is what he _is_!" The Sandaime snaps. "The shinobi think he is a tool, and the civilians think he's a monster! He is a child, and I want the best for Minato's son, but there is little chance that he will have a normal childhood with so much discrimination against the jinchuuriki. Do you know how many people called for the execution of Kakashi?!"

He starts pacing as he rants.

"And that now, Minato's seal has failed, her true identity has spread throughout the village. It's dangerous. The shinobi council has tried to keep her safe, but after this attack, tension is starting to rise. I don't think that the citizens will ever truly accept her."

The Sandaime Hokage might have continued, but he was interrupted by the arrival of a masked ANBU.

"Hokage-sama," the elite agent greets, silver hair glowing in the moonlight. "The autopsy is complete. They await your arrival."

The aged man takes the youngest Uzumaki from his student and hands it to the agent, who disappears with a quick shunshin.

The Sarutobi then motions for Jiraiya to follow, as he leaves his office and make his way to the building temporarily converted into a makeshift hospital. Entering the basement, he nods to the ANBU guarding the door and ushers the Sannin in. Uchiha Fugaku is already there, dressed in the KMPF uniform, standing by the body on the examination table. Yamanaka Inoichi stood next to him, as well as Orochimaru.

"Have you identified the body?"

It wasn't much of a body. Half of its face was gone, and its left arm and leg was missing. The right half of its body was mutilated. Some of it was the Kiiroi Senko's work, but most of it was from someone else. It stirred something from within Jiraiya's memories.

"Uchiha Setsuna. Still an active shinobi, in his late fifties, former member of the KMPF, possessed three tomoe sharingan, and lived alone with no children or spouses. He was one of the Uchiha that participated in the attempted rebellion against the Nidaime." Fugaku handed over a file of papers to the Hokage, who briefly skimmed over them.

"Inoichi, have you been able to glean anything from his mind?"

"Not much. There are powerful mind blocks that prevent me from seeing most of his memories. What I do know, is that he used his eyes to control the Kyuubi, and that he briefly fought with Minato before he was incapacitated. There are gaps in his memories, and it gets…confusing after this. He appears to be attacked and _eaten_ by a peculiar creature."

Orochimaru makes an interested noise, eyes gleaming.

The Chief of the KMPF starts at this, turning to the Hokage and the Yamanaka Clan head. Jiraiya's eyes also widen at this new information, and says, "That matches the autopsies of the ambassador and his escorts."

"As well as the Uchiha that have gone MIA only to be found in pieces," Fugaku adds. "Many more are still missing. Do you think this creature is the one responsible?"

 _So it wasn't animals that devoured the bodies?_

The Sandaime turns to Inoichi. "What does this creature look like?"

The man places a hand over the remains of Uchiha Setsuna head and closes his eyes. "It looks like a green haired man with half his body split. One side is black and the other is white. There is one instance where he was seen merging with walls and the through the ground."

"Alert the ANBU and jonin to keep an eye out for this creature," The Hokage orders before addressing his pale skinned student. "Orochimaru, did you find anything of significance?"

"Well," He says, putting on gloves before approaching the body, Iniochi respectfully moving out of the way. He gently pulls back torn skin and flesh, displaying the damaged heart. A heart with a ruined seal. "I searched through his other organs, but they were either too damaged to assess, or untouched. The heart is the only thing that has traces of a seal. There is nothing on the skin either, but the eyes were crushed."

Jiraiya leans down to observe the seal, twisting his head to the side to get a better look. "Can you reconstruct the heart so we can see the full seal?"

"Who do you think I am?" The snake Sannin scoffs, before retrieving a scalpel and several forceps.

"It could be the remnants of the fuinjutsu that sealed away his chakra. He was one of the rebels that were spared from execution but punished instead," Fugaku replies, though sounding slightly unsure.

"Chakra suppressors are typically put on skin, not the heart," The Toad Sage remarks, eyes glued on the seal that was slowly being reconstructed.

"Sensei, there's a jar to your right, on the tray. If you would pick that up…" Orochimaru says, not looking up from his work. The Sarutobi glances to his side, and finds the aforementioned jar. He brings it up to his face, looking at the tiny lump of white substance that was placed inside. "I found it in one of the wounds. I haven't been able to identify what the white substance is, but it's been infused with the DNA of the Shodaime."

The Sandaime almost drops the jar, but sets it on the tray. "Any corpses that have been retrieved with similar injuries are to be re-examined. We need as much information as we can get."

Orochimaru nods absentmindedly, but also adding, "Traces of that substance were found on the bodies of ANBU Team Ro. Similar injuries and cause of death, but they weren't as bad as this one. They didn't have the seal on the heart either."

As he says this, he finishes putting together the damaged heart, and steps away to show his work. Now with all the pieces together, the Toad Sage doesn't need long to identify the seal.

"It's not a chakra suppressor," He announces rising from his position. "It's a curse tag. Someone's been controlling him."

* * *

When Uchiha Mikoto confronted her, Kakashi wasn't sure where their conversation was going. She had interacted with the woman before, and she quite liked her, but most of the time it was on behalf of Kushina. Sometimes, the duo would drag her out as a pack mule (under a henge, of course) when they went shopping and gossiping. Sometimes she offered her training tips and genjutsu advice. Kakashi even babysat her eldest son when she was doing D-ranks before Obito and Rin joined the team.

The pretty woman had managed to catch her on one of the rooftops near the Uchiha compound. Little Itachi was accompanying her, and gave her a small but confused smile (he recognises her, but isn't his old babysitter supposed to be male?), though he politely stepped away to calm his fussing younger brother when they started to talk.

"Here," the Uchiha matriarch says, handing over a scroll. As Kakashi unfurls it and reads, Mikoto begins to talk. "Kushina and Minato had always seen you as one of their own. They were planning to officially adopt you after Kushina gave birth, but…"

The last Hatake doesn't want to cry in front of another person, but it's hard to stop her eyes from watering when she sees physical proof of how much her sensei and Kushina loved her. The mother of two hesitantly continues.

"I know that we don't know each other that well – and maybe we could – but I'm not leaving you alone like this. Kushina would kill me if I didn't make the effort to look out for you. We have a spare bedroom, and you'll always have a place at our table, and you only need to drop by every once in a while, but you don't have to if you don't want to– "

Kakashi is touched, and deep down inside, she really wants to accept her offer. She craves a place to belong, and not to return to an empty apartment. Minato and Kushina are gone, and Kakashi longs to fill the gaping void in her heart, but the number of people she can trust have dwindled down dramatically. She wants to trust so badly it hurts, but she doesn't want to intrude on the Uchiha's head family. "You don't have to be obligated to do this, I don't want to burden you."

"No, no," Mikoto insists. "It's about time that the Uchiha started to take care of our own."

"B-but, what about Fugaku-sama?" Kakashi stutters.

"Oh don't worry about him, he agreed to it," the dark-haired woman says, waving her hand dismissively, her best friend's influence shining through. "And if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to stop me. He hates sleeping on the couch."

"…Thank you, Mikoto-sama."

"Just Mikoto is fine. But…is that a yes?"

* * *

He needs to see Kakashi.

Obito doesn't care if his teammate is in ANBU or under house arrest, because he _needs_ visual verification that he is not the last of Team Minato.

"I don't think you should," Gai says gravely when he grabs him by the shoulder.

"I'm going whether you like it or not! _I need to see him!_ "

At the rather distinct male pronoun, Gai winces while Genma almost chokes on his senbon. Ebisu is pointedly not listening to the conversation about the Sanbi Jinchuuriki. Obito takes the moment of Gai's slack grip as an opportunity to make a run for it.

As he speeds off to wherever he thinks the Hatake might be, Genma asks, "He does know that Hatake is a girl now, right?"

* * *

It's pure luck that Kakashi is actually home when Obito kicks down her door yelling at the top of his lungs.

It is also pure luck, that he catches her in the middle of changing.

"Ever heard of knocking?" She asks blandly as she pulls up her pants. She's been around males in all her years of living – she's _been_ one for more than half of it – and thus, she has no body shame around the people in her life. Obito has gone silent, blatantly staring at her breasts and the curve of her hips, his brain not quite registering what he's looking at. It's been a year since he's seen Kakashi, and Obito's been expecting him to change a bit since they had last met, but _this_ …this is not what he had in mind. Kakashi's face is also bare ( _woah, she's beautiful_ ), but the Uchiha is very much stuck on the fact that Kakashi looks very much like a woman.

"Ha ha ha," He laughs nervously, eyes still glued on the Hatake who is sitting on the bed and taping up her shins with bandages (who is still very much shirtless and maskless). "You got me! You can drop the henge now."

"It's not a henge," Kakashi utters, throwing on a tight sleeveless shirt and pulling up her mask. "I'm a girl."

"Oh…so you're a girl?" Obito says blankly.

"Yep," Kakashi answers, pulling on her gloves.

"…Oh. Okay."

"You're taking this very calmly," she notes, tying up her hair and putting on her hitai-ate.

"I don't think it's actually getting through to me yet. Just wait a moment."

Kakashi shrugs, picking up her father's tanto and Obito's wakizashi and grabbing a sharpening stone. Obito takes this time to wait for his brain to catch up with the overload of information, as Kakashi sharpens her swords.

Kakashi has boobs.

Girls have boobs.

Kakashi has some rather unmistakeable hips.

Girls have hips.

Which makes Kakashi a girl.

Which explains a lot about the things that Obito had been questioning about his teammate, like why Kakashi would never joins them in the onsen.

But Kakashi could also be a hermaphrodite, but Obito very much doubts that. He (SHE) said so himself (HERSELF).

Ergo, Kakashi is a girl.

…

Oh.

 _Oh._

 _OH._

 _…_

 _KAKASHI IS A GIRL._

 _…_

"YOU'RE A _GIRL_?!" Obito points a wobbly finger at her. He makes a variety of interesting sounds, his face turning pale from shock.

"Yes," Kakashi drawls, a defensive edge hidden in her mono-toned voice, still sharpening her weapons that suddenly look very menacing. "I believe we've established this already."

The Uchiha splutters.

There are no words that Obito can make, though random noises are coming out of his mouth.

 _KAKASHI IS A GIRL._

Seeing his amusing reaction, Kakashi asks with a raised eyebrow, pausing in making her blades as sharp as can be, "Do you have a problem with it?"

 _(No, he does not. He's fine with this._ _ **Very**_ _fine.)_

The words hit him with the force of his Sensei's rasengan.

 _KAKASHI IS A GIRL._

 _Holy shit._

Obito's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he finally faints.

And his one last, entirely inappropriate thought was, _Damn, I'd totally tap that_.

* * *

 **OMAKE: [** _ **Torture**_ **]** **Training 101 – Kushina style  
(For nocloudypooh)**

 _"_ _Excuse me?"_ Kakashi gapes, unsure if she heard her right.

"You're excused," Kushina replies, as she continues to drag over several large boulders to the edge of the waterfall like they were bags of rice. She dusts her hands off and plants them on her hips. She then repeats, "We're gonna start off light because you're still recovering, but your warm up today is to swim up that waterfall. Hopefully you'll be able to dodge the boulders, and then we'll be able to start stamina training."

Kakashi wasn't even sure if swimming up a waterfall was possible, but Kushina must have gotten impatient with her staring, because the next thing she knew, she was plummeting off the edge of the cliff and into the water below.

As soon as she surfaced, Kakashi paled, and dove to the side as a boulder came crashing into the spot she just occupied. Kakashi started sweating.

 _She's crazy!_

A head of red hair peeked over at the top of the waterfall, with Kushina readying the next boulder.

"Chop chop, Kakashi!" She said cheerfully. "We don't have all day!"

* * *

 **OMAKE: Haircut  
(For Swagheili)**

Kakashi hates her long hair.

It's still brushing against her calves, but its tangled and dirty because she trips on it frequently. It throws off her balance when she jumps, and its far more trouble than it was worth. It's entirely impractical.

She had tried to keep it long as a homage to Kushina, but this wasn't going to work.

She was tempted to shave it all off, but Mikoto barged into the bathroom with a scandalised shriek when she was prepping the clippers.

"Mikoto-san?!"

 _"_ _You fool!"_

She slaps the clippers out of her hands and grabs her by the shoulders with a grip of iron, shaking her back and forth. "Why would you do that?!"

"It's getting in the way," the Hatake mumbles dizzily.

"You will not touch those clippers again," the Uchiha mutters darkly, snatching up a pair of scissors that Kakashi left on the sink. "I'll do it."

When she's done, a heavy weight has been lifted, and Kakashi marvels at the fact that she doesn't have to strain her neck to keep it upright. Her silver locks are trimmed neatly to just below her shoulder blades.

"Not shorter?" She asks curiously, fingering a few strands.

"If it gets too short, you can't tie it back, and it'll keep getting in your face," Mikoto answers, brushing off loose hairs on her shoulders before gathering her hair into braid. "Better?"

"Yeah," Kakashi says feeling her troublesome hair out of the way and much more practical. "Better."

* * *

 **Finding out that Kakashi is actually a girl has solved Obito's sexuality crisis.**

 **I'm still open for requests. Speaking of which, just wait a bit** ** _erneste_** **. Your omake is next.**


End file.
